Shinachiku's First Adventure
by thesaiyanjedi
Summary: In a world at peace, a new generation is about to begin. Watch as young Shinachiku Uzumaki, son of Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, embarks on his first real adventure, all the while his parents find themselves unearthing a plot that could spell disaster for the Hidden Leaf Village and the world as they know it. Will their love survive? NaruSaku.
1. Chapter 1--The Exposition

Hello, my name is thesaiyanjedi, and this is my very first attempt at writing fanfiction. Like many of you I found myself disappointed at the ending to the Naruto manga. However, I am very pleased that there are still plenty of devoted NaruSaku fans out there who are continuing to write excellent fan works of this terrific couple in spite of what happened in the final two chapters and in "The Last: Naruto the Movie."

Let me be clear that I mean no disrespect to the NaruHina and SasuSaku communities, I am happy for you that you got the ending that you wanted, even if I do not agree with it. This is just my own personal idea for what could have happened after the main story ended in a universe where Naruto and Sakura had gotten together. There is a character created by the NaruSaku community named Shinachiku Uzumaki, the son of Naruto and Sakura, who even has his own tumblr and Facebook pages, and I thought it would be an interesting and different approach to a NaruSaku story to try and develop a first adventure for him, while at the same time tying it into a new adventure that his parent's will be facing.

I should also say that as this story goes along there will be inspiration taken from other sources, such as other writer's work that I enjoy or from films that I love. Feel free to comment on where those references come in, in case I do not point them out. For instance, there is one scene in this first chapter that is borrowed from JTZ29's story "Take Good Care of Her."

As for the chapter itself, the title says it all. This is only the exposition needed to get the story going, which I pretty much figured out as I wrote it. As such, I think it's pretty rambling and amateurish, but hopefully readers will enjoy it anyway.

With all of that said, lets get to reading!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Exposition<strong>

Deep within the Land of Fire there lives a village, a mighty village, a village hidden in the leaves. It's name…Konohagakure. Founded by the great shinobi Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, this mighty village, the most powerful and most highly regarded shinobi village of them all, now enjoys a well-earned time of peace and prosperity. Skyscrapers tower above the iconic Hokage Monument, technology had made advancements and been integrated in ways never seen before, and in the wake of a terrible war has come a new era of love and peace.

And it is all thanks to one man. One young ninja who rose from tragedy and rejection, from being labeled a monster by the very village he loves, to now become known throughout the ninja world not only as it's newest Hokage, but as the greatest hero of his generation.

His name…Naruto Uzumaki, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, apprentice of Kakashi Hatake and Lord Jiraiya, jinchūriki of Kurama, the nine-tailed fox spirit, hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War, and now the Seventh Hogake of the Konogakure. This young man has been a symbol of courage, perseverance and peace years before his reign ever began. It seemed as though everyone he encountered has been touched by his influence, and always for the better.

One of these individuals is Sakura Haruno, daughter of Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno, apprentice of Kakashi Hatake and Lady Tsunade, heroine of the Fourth Shinobi World War, renowned as the greatest medical ninja in the world...and now the loving wife of Naruto Uzumaki. Yes, despite years of chasing after the former traitor Sasuke Uchiha, this woman would eventually open her eyes to the truth, that her affections were for the wrong man this whole time and that her true destiny lay with another. The young man who stood by her through all of her darkest turmoil, her worst moments, this lovable, stupid blonde knucklehead of a ninja was always there and would not hesitate to give his life for her if need be. In another life, she might have missed her chance to be by his side and who knows where she would have been then.

After the war, where Naruto at last fulfilled his promise to bring Sasuke back home to her, the last Uchiha would find himself leaving the village once again, this time to make amends for his many sins since he first betrayed his team, no, his family, to seek power from the snake Sannin Orochimaru. In all due respect Sasuke should have spent the rest of him life in prison for his many war crimes, the only things that spared him were the role he played in the war and the fact that Naruto vouched for him. Sakura had asked to join Sasuke on his quest, but he refused her. He told her that she needed to find her own path, to look into her heart and find what it was she _really_ wanted, as if telling her up front that her heart never really belonged to him. He had promised her, with a tap to her broad forehead, by now adorned with the Strength of a Hundred Seal, that he would return to her, but he did not say when. Sasuke would also part ways with his other teammate, the only brother he had left, Naruto, who returned his old Leaf Village headband as a reminder of their friendship, which Sasuke agreed to keep until they could one day "settle things" between the two of them. But he also gave his brother one more bit of advice, "Take good care of her." Naruto was shocked, maybe even a little embarrassed, but still no other words needed to be said. The Uchiha had given the blonde his blessing; he had stepped aside for both of them to find the happiness they both deserved. Sure, in another life maybe things could have gone another way, but at that Sasuke merely brushed it off. 'No,' he thought to himself, 'This is for the best. This is how it is meant to be.'

The next few months were an awkward time for the two teen heroes. Sure, the peace that was achieved was wonderful, their sensei Kakashi was selected as Lady Tsunade's successor as the Sixth Hokage (to which everyone was surprised at how maturely Naruto had accepted it), and some of their closest friends, the fabled "Konoha 11" were even forging romantic relationships with each other.

Ino Yamanaka, Sakura's oldest and closest friend, had confided in her that she was starting to form a crush of one of Naruto and Sakura's former teammates, the pail-faced Anbu and former Root member Sai. Sakura was dumbstruck to say the least, but ever the optimist, and likely as an apology for their years wasted on a rivalry of chasing after Sasuke, she decided to play matchmaker and set them both up on a blind date. Turns out, the date went very well; thank goodness Sai had gained a better understanding of human emotion by then. Now the purple-clad, platinum blonde florist, the confident girl that would flirt with every other guy that crossed her path, found herself in a happy and staple relationship, and it was all thanks to her best friend Sakura.

Shikamaru Nara, the first of the Konoha 11 to reach Chūnin status and easily the most brilliant strategist of their generation (even if he did have the laziness of a sloth), found himself dating Temari, the fan-wielding sister of one of Naruto's closest friends, Gaara, the former jinchūriki of the Shukaku, the one-tailed beast spirit, and currently the Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure. When the two of them announced that they were dating, absolutely no one was surprised. It had been pretty obvious from the start that there was an attraction between them and that it was only a matter of time before something finally happened. Gaara and his brother Kankurō might have been concerned at first that their sister had taken an interest in a boy from another village, but since Shikamaru was such a close friend of Naruto's the Kazekage had no issue with it…Shikamaru always supposed that he owed Naruto a thank you for that, but thanking him in words would have been…troublesome.

But while Shikamaru's love life may not have surprised anyone, Chōji Akimichi, Ino and Shikamaru's former teammate, certainly did when he announced that he was seeing Karui, a kunoichi from Kumogakure, the village hidden in the Land of Lightning. None of their friends had any idea how that happened, but apparently they had met in the aftermath of the war and, after talking, really hit it off. It was an unexpected romance to say the least, but they do say that love surprises you.

In speaking of surprises, Rock Lee, the ever-energetic taijutsu master and obsessively devoted pupil of Might Guy, had learned to move on from his longstanding crush on Sakura. He never did say what his reason was, but as devoted and youthful as Lee was, he likely saw her relationship's with both of her teammates and recognized that he just didn't have a chance. Besides, after the tragic death of his teammate, former rival and dearest friend Neji Hyūga, Lee found himself becoming a source of strength for his other grieving teammate, Tenten. She had hidden unreciprocated feelings for the Hyūga, so when he gave his life to save both Naruto and his cousin Hinata, she was devastated. Lee was there to help her out however, and while nothing was made official yet, Tenten's friends had all started to notice her smiling in Lee's direction a lot more often lately…

But that brings us to Neji's beloved cousin, heir to the prestigious Hyūga clan, the kind and beautiful Lady Hinata. Every single person in the village was aware of her long, long-standing crush on the blonde-haired Hokage-to-be, except, naturally, for the blonde knucklehead himself. She had found the courage to confess her feelings to him during Pain's invasion of Konoha, but Naruto would not reciprocate those feelings for a while longer. After the war, after Neji died, Naruto had gotten to a point where he was becoming uncomfortable around Sakura; not because he stopped liking her, he just felt that, after finally bringing Sasuke back home, that he should try to move on and let her have what she wanted. So, he did indeed ask Hinata out for one date, which she quickly accepted. Their night was fun, but there was an unmistakable absence of joy at the heart of it. Hinata was a lot of things, but she has never been stupid; she was always aware of how Naruto felt about Sakura and how Sakura, even if she couldn't see it, felt about him. So when Hinata closed the night talking to Naruto about his feelings and Naruto said that he wanted to break his bonds with her, to move on and let Sakura live her life even if it was without him, Hinata did the unthinkable…she slapped him…_HARD_. This was not the Naruto she had fallen in love with. This was not the boy who never gave up on his dreams. This was not the boy who held an unbridled sense of optimism and joy and courage no matter how bleak the world got. This…this just wasn't Naruto. And if spending the rest of her life with him meant her having to see him live that lie for the rest of his life, then damn it, she'd much rather just let him go. Sure enough, that was just the motivation that Naruto needed, so after a very energetic hug of friendship to the Hyūga heiress, he recommitted himself to at least speaking with Sakura again; and ironically, when the two of them did eventually get together, Hinata herself was one of their happiest supporters…but she also had the support of her fellow teammate Kiba to thank for that…and Shino too, but for some reason people often tended to overlook him…

So Naruto had recommitted himself to getting the girl of his dreams, but what he had no idea about was that Sakura herself was having very similar issues. She constantly thought back to her days at the academy, her days with Team 7, the war, and everything in between. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized something, something important, something critical, something so terribly and ashamedly obvious that only an immature fan girl completely blinded by infatuation could fail to see it…Sasuke did not love her. He didn't love anyone. He was too blinded by revenge for too long for there to be room in his heart for such a thing as love. For goodness sake, the young man had actively tried to kill her at least three times in the past! What sane, self-respecting woman could love a man after that?!

But that wasn't all; she was also constantly thinking about her other teammate. The blonde idiot who always smiled at her and, in turn, would get her to smile as well. The boy who would stand by her side no matter what she said or did to him, all of which made her cringe with guilt now. The boy who she believed would never amount to anything in his ninja career, especially compared to the raven-haired Uchiha…She had never been so wrong about anything in her life! Naruto Uzumaki was the bravest, strongest, most selfless ninja, no, person, she had ever known. They'd both been through so much, shared so many emotions, had far more in common than she'd ever realized before…It was funny, back when they were kids she despised the hyperactive boy, and now she couldn't even imagine her life without him in it; well, scratch that, yes she could, but any time she imagined her life without Naruto it seemed really, really sad.

Inner conflicts were had, epiphanies made, and truths accepted. And the next time they crossed paths, something happened that changed both of their lives forever. There was no denying it any longer, from either of them. Sakura Haruno was in love with Naruto Uzumaki, and he with her…

…But that is a story for another time…

Their love was the purest, most passionate and beautiful that their friends and loved ones had ever seen. Once their feelings were out in the open, the two were virtually insuperable. Tsunade and Kakashi were both immensely proud of their students, knowing deep down that they were always meant to be. Sakura's parents were on cloud nine, especially her mother. She had never told her daughter this before, but Kushina had been one of Megumi's closest friends, and she knew that she would have been proud of the two of them finally coming together. Their friends were no less happy for them, even Hinata, but it was Kiba's rude response to their announcement that summed everything up, "Well it's about time you two!" Laughter and heavy blushing followed.

For about five years the two lovers stayed together, until, after a brief but successful five-year reign, Kakashi chose to step down from the Hokage position and, at last, chose Naruto, his greatest student, as his successor. The day of Naruto's coronation saw the streets of Konoha packed to the brim with every shinobi and civilian in the village, as well as his closest friends from allied nations, all to see the ninja world's greatest hero fulfill his destiny. Naruto accepted their praise with pride, but not without some sense of irony given how ostracized was only a decade or so prior. The orange-clad Hokage gave the village a speech, one voicing his iconic enthusiasm, but also the extreme gratitude, dignity and authority of a true leader.

But that wasn't even the highlight of the evening. After he had been christened into his new job, Naruto made a brief speech to the village about his beloved Sakura, who was standing right next to him on the balcony. He thanked her for everything they had shared and called his year's with her the best of his entire life…And then, in front of a crowd of thousands, he got on one knee and took her hand. Then he pulled a small box out from his pocket and opened it, revealing a diamond ring that sparkled in the sunlight. Sakura, her hands clasped over her mouth and her eyes already in tears, could only stand there as the crowd gasped and Naruto asked the most important question of his life:

"Sakura Haruno, will you marry me?"

No words were spoken, none were needed, for instead her answer was to clam his lips with her own in the most passionate kiss of either of their lives. The entire village, friends, family, everyone, burst into applause at the newly engaged couple, the Seventh Hokage and the pink-haired medical-nin, the love of his life.

There was a party at their house that night, for by this time the two lovers had moved in together into an unused mansion that Naruto's parents had built. The home wasn't massive, but it was surely amazing. Three floors (not including the basement level), massive rooms and entryways, large dining room, fully-stocked pantry (and no, NOT entirely with ramen, Sakura made sure of that), a large library, entertainment room, an indoor dojo, spacious outdoor garden, large swimming pool, a hot tub, a bar, even a private hot spring; in other words, the ideal place to invite guests and to host parties for friends. All of the happy couple's friends were invited and everyone had the time of their lives, eating delicious food, getting drunk (except for Lee, Tenten made damn sure of that), swimming in the pool (Ino couldn't pass up any chance to show off her bikini body, even with Sai there and Naruto now engaged) and congratulating the happy couple. There was even a karaoke machine that night, where Naruto got up and sang a song to his fiancé. Now, until that night, the idea of Naruto singing would have sent shivers of horror down the spines of everybody there. But to everyone's shock, the blonde man wasn't gifted, but he was far, far better than they had all feared. But as good as his singing was, it was nothing compared to his dancing. Naruto performed a break dancing routine to his song that night that completely floored everybody, pulling off movements that even taijutsu masters like Lee and Guy would envy, including this one move that looked as if he was gliding backwards across the stage, as if gravity wasn't even influencing him, as if he were on the moon.

Sakura was overcome with emotion after Naruto's performance. They both disappeared from the party after it was over, retreating back to the master bedroom. They didn't come out again for the rest of the night…

Nine months later, the happiest day of their lives had come. Sakura, who had herself helped deliver countless babies into the world for other mothers, had at last given birth to her own first-born child, a son. His name: Shinachiku Uzumaki.

And this, at last, is where we begin our story…

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><p>There you have it, my first chapter. This was my very first story so I hope you didn't think too badly of it; again, it is just an exposition piece. You probably noticed a lot of quick, not terribly detailed ideas here, especially in Naruto and Sakura's romance. Don't worry, I am planning on expanding upon the backstory in future chapters.<p>

Feel free to comment and recommend ideas on where you think this story should go, I am open to any feedback I can get.

Once again, thank you all for reading, and I hope see you again in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2--Dawn of a New Era

Hello, thesaiyanjedi here. Thank you all for the positive response to the first chapter of this story, especially spazzgirl, one of my favorite NaruSaku writers. Knowing that a writer like you has taken an interest in this work is a great source of pride for me.

I should let you all know two things up front. First, a lot of this I will be making up as I go; I have no pre-planned outline for this and the story will take shape as I write it. Second, a lot of the ideas you will be seeing here are, admittedly, not my own. I will be taking references from other fanfiction and films that I enjoy and use them as inspiration for the story you are reading now. For example, in the first chapter, the parting exchange between Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto was directly inspired by one that JTZ29 wrote in her fanfic "Take Good Care of Her." I will absolutely be crediting all of my influences for each chapter, usually at the end, but feel free to try and pick them out if you can; heck, you can make a game out of it if you want, there's no telling which way this thing will go!

I really do hope that you guys continue to like and support this story, as it is my very first attempt at writing fanfiction myself, having read so much of it for so many years.

Oh yeah, and just to make sure that all of this is legal, Naruto is not my series, it is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. This is merely an independent fan work and not intended as a copyright infringement of the creator or his affiliates.

With all of that said, on with the story!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Dawn of a New Era<strong>

"Great work today, Shinachiku. We'll pick this up again tomorrow."

A very young boy, about 12 years in age with bright blonde hair and emerald eyes, dressed in an orange jacket, black shorts, black armbands, and large black boots, the jacket adored with the symbol of the hHidden Eddy Village, which itself was encased within the plain white circle of the Haruno clan, stopped his shuriken training. It should be noted that nearly all of his targets had been Bull's eyed. The boy turned to his master, a tall, handsome young man with brown hair and a long blue scarf wrapped around his neck.

The boy bowed to his master with a large, goofy smile, "Arigato, Konohamaru-sensei."

Konohamaru could not help but chuckle at Shinachiku's endearment. Ever since he made Jōnin several years ago, he knew right away that he wanted this boy to be his student. It was only right; he himself was his father's first pupil, even if most of what the current Hokage had taught him were stupid, perverted jutsu that only worked on male shinobi that seriously needed to get laid. But that didn't matter, to Konohamaru, Naruto Uzumaki was the big brother that he never had, the one person who, as a child, didn't immediately treat him with the same overindulgence of respect that everyone else did; "Honorable Grandson" they called him, jeez. As a boy he was desperate not to be acknowledged that way, so he got it into his head that if he could just, one day, defeat his grandfather, the Third Hokage, in a surprise attack, it would somehow forge his own identity. Thank God Naruto was there to, quite literally, beat some sense into the brat. He didn't care whose grandson he was, disrespect like that should not be tolerated, especially to family. Konohamaru was attracted to that attitude, so he pestered Naruto into taking him on as his student, not caring that the blonde had only graduated from the Academy and made Genin the day before. This was the beginning of a friendship that would define the rest of Konohamaru's life, for it was Naruto, his nii-chan, that taught him that there were no shortcuts to becoming Hokage, or to anything in life for that matter, only hard work and perseverance. He never got to become Naruto's official apprentice, Naruto was far too young to have a Genin squad of his own by the time Konohamaru graduated, but Naruto always saw the boy as his first true pupil, and he was always grateful for that…And Naruto could not have recommended anyone better to train his son.

Shinachiku Uzumaki was, like his sensei before him, the pride of the Hidden Leaf Village. The son of both the Hokage himself and the most renowned medic-nin of her generation, the boy had always been destined for greatness…Or at least he would have been if they were not living in times of peace. Don't get the wrong idea, peace was wonderful, there was no war, no suffering, and no death…but there was also no adventure. Young shinobi-in-training like Shinachiku, top of his class despite being a natural-born prankster (not to mention an amazing singer and dancer; it's no wonder so many girls at school were crushing on him), found themselves training in the sacred arts of ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu, and yet had precious little opportunity to put those skills to use. But as Shinachiku's dad had told him when he was very young, "A wise Kage, or ninja, never goes looking for war, but he must always be ready for it."

And so the boy kept training, partly because of what his dad had told him that day, and also because of something else he said once, "My son, some day this village will say of you and I what they said about me and your grandpa. They will say 'My boy, some day you will be just like your dad, the bravest and strongest shinobi in the world.' And then one day then will all look again and say, 'No…He is greater than his father.'"

After the Genin finished bowing to his sensei, he hung his head in thought, and his teacher noticed it.

"What's the matter, Shina?"

"Sensei, do you think that all my training will ever pay off one day? I mean, _really_ pay off? I know we are living in peace right now and my dad says that a shinobi should always be ready for anything, but I just…I mean, escort missions for feudal lords pay good money and it's okay to help find a woman's lost cat now and again, but I can't help but wish something more exciting would happen around here. I know I'm being selfish, but whenever I talk with my mom, or Aunt Ino, or Aunt Hinata, or Uncle Sasuke whenever he's around, or whenever I read my dad's book, I feel like-"

The boy was stopped when his master knelt down and put his hand on his shoulder. He looked the boy square in the eye and gave him a heartfelt smile.

"Shinachiku Uzumaki, you are the son of two exceptional shinobi, one of whom was my idol, and he was the greatest ninja I've ever known. Believe me when I tell you that one day you are going to grow up to do great things…But only if you work hard for it. There are no shortcuts to being a great ninja, only hard work. Legacies and bloodlines are all great, but if your father proved anything growing up, it's that true greatness isn't given, it's earned."

The blonde-haired lad stared at his master in wonder. Then, he gave the Jōnin a warm hug. "Arigato, sensei."

"Any time kiddo. Now go on home, I'm sure your mother is going to want you back in time for dinner tonight."

"Actually, my mom told me that she got stuck with an extra long shift at the hospital. And dad's stuck in a meeting with the damn elders again-"

"Hey, watch your language young man!"

"Gomen, gomen. Anyway it's just going to be me and Hanami tonight."

"Really? Are you sure you two are going to be alright on your own?"

"It'll be fine. Both my parents are usually home, but once and a while these things happen. I'm a big kid now and I can take care of both of us until they get home."

"…Okay. Just try to stay out of trouble until your parents get home. And take care of your sister."

"Sensei, relax. What could possibly happen?"

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><p>At the Hokage Tower, a mid-thirties man with blonde hair and three fox-like whisker marks on each of his cheeks, garbed in orange and black, sat at his desk typing endlessly on his laptop computer. 'Thank God for technology,' he thought. 'It cuts the paperwork down at least by half!' On his desk were stacks of paperwork, most of which he was done with, thank goodness. But there was also a half-eaten cup of instant ramen with the chopsticks sitting inside it, and half-empty bottle of sake. Until the last twelve years this young man had prided himself on not being much of a drinker, but Baa-chan had warned him that taking this job meant that he would be hitting the bottle a lot more often than he used to. Still, he prided himself on moderation and usually favoring coffee or water instead.<p>

But also on his desk were a series of framed photos. One was from years ago, when he had just been assigned to his three-man squad, the day that his life's story truly began. The young man himself was only a boy back then; no older than his son was now. In the photo he stood to the right, dressed in a garish bright orange jumpsuit, his arms folded and an irritated expression on his face. Leaning in above them was the young man's former sensei, the Copy Ninja dressed in his green Jōnin vest and with that infamous blue mask covering the bottom half of his face, his Leaf Village headband covering his Sharingan eye. To the far left stood another boy, with raven-black hair and a blue shirt, an annoyed expression on his face. This boy was his former rival, his best friend, his brother. In between the two boys, at the bottom of the photo, was a pink haired angel, a girl that many others called an ugly duckling for her broad forehead, but the blonde never did. She had her eyes closed and her hands held up to her face in an adorable smile. She was his rock, his friend, his true love…and now, for twelve years, she had been his wife.

There was another photo on his desk as well. It was of just the two of them, days after the war ended, both of them now seventeen years old. It was the day after they first admitted their love for each other. She clung to his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, another content smile on her face as he placed a kiss to her forehead, now adorned with the diamond-shaped Strength of a Hundred Seal.

There was yet another photo, again of the two of them, this time from their wedding day…Well, their second wedding day. He tried not to think about the disaster that happened the first time they walked down the alter. But that didn't matter, because the second time had gone perfectly. There he was in a rich black tuxedo, her in a gorgeous white wedding gown, with her scooped up in his arms as they kissed with pure love and passion.

There was a fourth photo, this time of the two of them plus a third person, a baby with blonde hair like his father's and his mother's green eyes. The proud parents were smiling to the camera as their baby laughed an adorable giggle.

A fifth photo sat right next to it. In this one, the little boy was about five years old and full of excitement as his mother held another child in her arms, a girl with her pink hair and her father's blue eyes.

These pictures, his life story, were what really kept him going through work every day…Which is why he felt so bad that he had to leave the kids home alone tonight. Yes, he trusted his son to take care of himself and his sister, but what parent is proud of having to leave their kid's home alone? Hell, he was fully prepared to ask one of his friends to babysit, but Shinachiku insisted that he could handle it, and, hey, the kid was twelve for goodness sake!

'Still,' the blonde man thought, 'better breeze through all this so I can hurry home.'

And so, after checking to make sure he was alone in his office, the orange-clad Hokage made a familiar hand seal.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

A few puffs of smoke later and no less than three identical clones of himself appeared in the room, all of them knowing exactly what to do, all groaning as they split up the remaining paperwork evenly among themselves.

"That's cheating, y'know!"

The blonde Hokage nearly jumped out of his seat at the sound of that voice. He looked to the doorway and saw his pink-haired angel staring back at him in irritation.

"Sakura-chan, I can explain this!"

She crossed her arms. "I'm listening…"

"Well, I…I…I…I was just trying to get all this work done faster so I could come home to you and the kids, that all!"

Sakura maintained her irritated expression for about a second before it changed to one of her heartwarming smiles. "I know."

"Wait, what? What do you mean you know?"

"Come on sweetie, you pull this stunt all the time. How else could you have been there for the kid's birthdays every year? How else could you find time when it's your turn to do the yearly Christmas shopping? Hell, if you hadn't placed a clone in your spot for one of your boring Kage Summit meetings one time you would never have made it to Hanami's birth. As I recall the Raikage was pretty upset with the deception."

"And to this day I have no regrets about it. Nothing about this job is more important to me than you guys. You know that right?"

"Of course I do." She came up her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Besides, it's not like that's the _only_ use you have for those shadow clones."

The blonde man gave a devious smirk equal to her own as he leaned in to claim her lips. Their kiss lasted a solid ten seconds before a voice called out to them.

"Oh man, how troublesome! Get a room you two!"

The two lovers quickly separated and straightened out their clothes, blushes adorning both of their faces.

"Shikamaru, what do you want?" the annoyed Hokage asked.

Shikamaru Nara, Naruto's trusted adviser and one of his oldest friends, stood there in the doorway wearing his open white dress shirt and black undershirt and a goatee on his chin.

"I just wanted to tell you that the new budgets for the Academy and the hospital need your approval." He handed Naruto the clipboard as he spoke.

"Okay…" Naruto said as he read the proposal. "Fine, approve it."

"What? Just like that?"

"Yeah, what's the big deal?"

"Naruto, when's the last time you double-checked the village's budget reserves? We are running low on funds right now and this proposal will-"

"I understand your concern Shikamaru, and I assure you that I considering every possibility. But if I am forced to choose between approving funding for our village's defense during _peace time_ or to our schools and hospitals, then I'll choose schools and hospitals."

Sakura smiled with pride as Shikamaru just grinned. "Wow," he turned to Sakura. "I guess you really fucked some sense into this moron huh?"

"**WHAT?!"** Sakura screamed in embarrassment as she grabbed the lazy Nara by the collar, "What the hell are you implying by that?!"

"Hey, take it easy. I'm just saying that we all know how kinky you two can be when you're alone. I mean, you _did_ sneak off to your bedroom during your engagement party to have hours of loud, wild, passionate, kinky sex. I'd always heard that virgins could never keep it quiet, but _damn_! How could you two have forgotten to set up a silencing jutsu around your bedroom first? Everyone at the party could hear you two going at it like rabbits in there!"

Now both of them were fuming with embarrassment. It was true, during the five years they have been dating Naruto and Sakura had always found ways to relieve their sexual frustrations, especially after moving into his parent's mansion, but they both agreed that there would be no sex until they were married. Well…five years is a long time to wait, and after Naruto proposed to her in front of the whole village and after he sang that song to her at the party, neither of them could take the waiting anymore. They spent the entire night together, letting out all of their deepest desires, passions, and perversions during their first time…Which, thanks to Naruto's inhuman stamina, lasted a very, very, very long time for the pink-haired vixen. They were both so desperate for each other that it never once entered their minds that they forgot to put a silencing jutsu around the room and that their friends downstairs might hear them…But hear them they did, for Sakura proved to be very, err, vocal, during her first time. All of their friends, particularly the women, were either embarrassed, or turned on, or both, at what they were hearing; some of the couple's even got themselves some action of their own after they left the party. Some of their most perverted friends even tried to peak in on them, but unfortunately for them the two lovers _did_ at least remember to lock the bedroom door. The following morning both of them were on cloud nine when they woke up together, but as soon as they went outside everyone on the street was laughing at the newly-engaged couple, and when Ino spilled the beans on what happened, it was the single most embarrassing moment of Sakura's life…But curiously, it did send a lot of single women looking in Naruto's direction too.

Shikamaru turned to his Hokage with a sly smirk. "You know, a lot of the guys always wondered how come you never put _that_ scene in your book. You might have sold twice as many copies-"

"BECAUSE I SWORE THAT IF HE DID, HE'D **NEVER** BE ABLE TO HAVE KIDS AGAIN, **THAT'S WHY!**"

Shikamaru took the hint and left it at that. "Okay, whatever. Jeez, so troublesome. See you later lovebirds." He gave them a lazy wave as he left the room.

Sakura needed to calm down. She had negotiated with one of her coworkers to take over the remainder of her shift so she could go home early to see her husband and her kids, not to be reminded yet again of how public they had made their first time, the night their son was conceived (oh yeah, they forgot to use a contraceptive jutsu too!). Hell, Ino had blackmailed her too many times already for all the juicy details that weren't explained by all her moaning and yelling that night.

'God, I need a drink!'

She grabbed the bottle of sake off of Naruto's desk and drowned a few good chugs. Naruto just looked at her for a moment.

"What?! It's rude to stare at people y'know!"

"Nothing. It's just…"

"Just what?!"

"It just that, with that famous temper of yours, and the way you say y'know…For a second there…" He couldn't finish the sentence for a moment.

"What?!" Sakura was really getting impatient now.

"You…you reminded me of my mother." Naruto blushed at this confession.

All of the irritation Sakura had before vanished the moment she heard this. Sakura had never gotten the chance to meet Kushina, but after she and Naruto started dating, her mother told her stories about their rivalry turned friendship and about how much they both had in common. She'd even said that the two of them would talk after Sakura was born about how cool it would be if their kids got together. Then when Naruto's book came out she read the story about her and Minato, and about what really happened the night Naruto was born. It was a story of hardship, loneliness, being strong in the face of bullies (something Sakura greatly respected), and true love, becoming a mother, tragedy, and legacy from mother to son all in one story. I was the most beautiful, romantic, and saddest thing she had ever read and she found herself in tears by the end of it, and nearly everyone who reviewed the book felt the same way. Never before had Sakura held so much respect for someone she'd never met.

"I wish I'd known her."

Naruto took her into his arms. "Hey, my mom would have loved you." He leaned in to kiss his wife once more time. "My clones should be just about done with the paperwork by now, so why don't you and I just get the hell out of here?"

Sakura smiled and gave once more peck on the lips. "As you command, Hokage-sama."

* * *

><p>Shinachiku made it back home to his house within minutes of finishing his training with Konohamaru-sensei, and he pulled out the key to his house and opened the door.<p>

"Hey, I'm home!"

There was no response for a few moments, but then there was a loud cry of happiness.

"Onii-chan!"

A seven-year old girl with pink hair and eyes as blue as sapphire, wearing a small red jacket over a bright yellow dress, ran out into the main hall of the Uzumaki house and practically teleported into her brother's arms.

"I've missed you Shina-chan!"

"I missed you too Hanami." He hugged her back, but he also couldn't help but think to himself 'Wow, really, she saw me just this morning.'

Hanami Uzumaki was the second child of Naruto and Sakura. When their friends all saw her they thought she was the most adorable baby girl ever (save for their own kids, of course). But when she was born, Shinachiku's father told him that he was going to have to take some major responsibility from now on to help keep her safe, like any big brother should. It was a responsibility that he took to with total seriousness, as he had occasionally got sent to detention while at the Academy for beating up on kids who bullied her at school.

Hanami herself was the pride and joy of her family. She loved her father, who would always shower her with love and, frankly, spoil her rotten with all the candy, toys and, yes, ramen that she wanted. She loved her mother, so pretty and smart and strong, the kind of woman she wanted to grow up to be like, whether she wanted to be a medical ninja or not. But her brother, she adored him. He was always there, keeping her safe, watching out for her, keeping her company on those rare nights when mom and dad were both swamped with work and both had to come home late. He would always find ways to make her laugh and smile, and some times, when she was really down, he would go so far as to sing to her. That was how the family first found out about his beautiful singing voice, and, coupled with the break dancing moves his father taught him, helped make him even more popular with the girls at the Academy than he already was…Which for some reason always made Hanami jealous whenever other girls spoke to him.

Shinachiku broke up the hug. "Hey sis, mom and dad are going to be running late tonight, so it's just you and me for dinner tonight."

"But Shina-chan, mommy didn't leave anything out for dinner. And neither of us are allowed to use the stove."

Shinachiku got a mischievous grin on his face. "Well, you know what that means don't you?"

Hanami got that same grin on her own face. "Yep!"

"ICHIRAKU RAMEN!" they both shouted with glee.

After the war, as their father became world famous, so too did his favorite place to eat. Old Man Teuchi and his daughter Ayame found themselves attracting more customers than ever thanks to the enthusiastic free press of their number one customer. Business got so good not only did the restaurant end up expanding from a simple bar to a full-sized restaurant (which did offer up more varieties of food than just their house special), but Ayame was able to convince her father to sell the family recipe for home consumption. So now, not only could you order Ichiraku's delicious noodles to go, but you could buy them in stores as well. Naruto wasn't terribly fond of this idea, as frozen stuff was never as good as the real thing, but still, it did serve to fill the void in his stomach when his job just didn't allow him the time to get out and go there in person.

Within minutes, the Uzumaki siblings were sitting at the family dinner table happily slurping up their dinner…When all of a sudden, the doorbell rang.

"Huh?" Shinachiku said. "Maybe mom and dad got off work early tonight. Hanabi, you wait here for a minute."

The boy got up from the table and walked to the front door. He opened it expecting to see his parents there, but what he saw instead was a stranger…or at least he thought he was. This person was a tall man in his mid-thirties with moppy raven-black hair, who wore a black poncho over his obviously well-armed ninja gear. His face looked sullen and a bit cold, but there was something oddly familiar about this stranger.

Either way, being the Hokage's son meant you had to be sure to use good manners. "Good evening," the boy said as he bowed.

"Whatever do you mean by that? Do you mean to wish me a good evening or do you mean that it is a good evening whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that _you_ feel good on this particular evening? Or are you simply stating that this is an evening to be good on?"

Shinachiku was at a loss for words at all this, so he answered, "All of them at once, I guess." The stranger merely grumbled at this.

"Excuse me sir, but can I help you?"

"That remains the be seen. Are your parent's home?"

"No, my mom and dad are working late tonight." The boy was now getting nervous, really wishing that he had a spare kunai on his person just in case. "Why do you ask? Are you looking for them?"

"No. Actually kid, _you're_ the one I was really looking for."

"Excuse me?"

"You don't have any idea who I am, do you kid? I know I've been gone for a while, but for you to have forgotten my face completely-"

"I'm sorry sir and I hate to be rude, but I don't think I know who you are, and I think I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Good evening." Shinachiku really didn't like to be rude to anyone that visited their house, but something was really off about this man. But as he was about to close the door…

"To think that I would be so young and still have to stand her to be 'Good evening'ed' by Naruto and Sakura son, my own godson, as if I well selling buttons at the door!"

Shinachiku stopped dead in his tracks and couldn't resist opening the door again. "I beg your pardon?"

"Only twelve years old and already you've changed since last we met, and I'm not entirely sure it was for the better, Shinachiku Uzumaki."

"Excuse me sir, but do I know you?"

"Well you know my name, even though you apparently don't remember I belong to it. I am you mom and dad's closest friend and teammate. I am the last survivor of the Uchiha clan. I'm your Uncle Sasuke…and I am looking for someone who wants to share in an adventure."

* * *

><p>Well, there was the first official chapter of this story. I hope it wasn't too boring for all of you. As I said before, I will be borrowing a lot of influences from films and other stories that I enjoy, and the ending, in case you haven't guessed, was an homage to Bilbo's first meeting with Gandalf in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." Shinachiku and Hanabi are both characters that exist within the NaruSaku fan community and I felt the need to include both of them in this story. I will be delving more into Naruto's book in later chapters, but the idea is that Naruto decided to to share his life's story with the rest of the world and what he ended up writing was not merely a autobiography but, essentially, the "Lord of the Rings" of the ninja world. Konohamaru's role as Shinachiku's sensei was something I always assumed would happen if Naruto and Sakura ever had kids; heck, even in the canon ending, I wouldn't be surprised if Kishimoto makes him Bolt's sensei as well. You may also be wondering who Shina's teammates are…Well, I haven't decided yet, and I am open to reader's suggestions. Sakura's admiration for Kushina was another thing I always wanted to see, and the connection between her and Sakura's mom, Mebuki, was directly inspired by an unfinished doujinshi by the brilliantly talented LadyGT; you can find it on her tumblr page. Well, I think that about does it for the references. Until next time, cheers!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3--An Unexpected Reunion

Hello again! Thank you for all of the favorites and alert subscriptions I've gotten so far. It really humbles me how many are already taking a liking to this story.

Any way, this chapter won't have as much action going on and probably be a lot shorter, as I was kind of crunched for time when I wrote it. But I hope you enjoy it anyway, as we'll be getting a better idea of what is really going on next time.

I should mention that there were two more references that I forgot to acknowledge from the previous chapter. At the beginning, when Naruto gives advice to his son about how a Hogake must always be ready for war even if he wants to avoid it, that was a direct reference to a scene from the first "Thor" movie, when Odin gives the exact same lesson to the young Thor and Loki. Also, the elaborate speech about how one day Shinachiku will surpass his father was lifted from a similar scene from "The Iliad," where the Trojan Hector removes his helmet and tells the same thing to his infant son.

Anyway, let's get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: An Unexpected Reunion<strong>

"You…You're Uncle Sasuke?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it?"

Shinachiku was at a loss for words. "I-I'm sorry, I just haven't seen you since I was a kid."

"You still are a kid."

"A _little_ kid."

The Uchiha grinned. "It's okay Shina. It's great to see you again."

"Hold on a minute, how do I _know_ you're really my godfather and not just some rogue ninja using a transformation jutsu? Tell me something about my parents that only he would know."

"Very good, following your shinobi instincts, I like that." Sasuke thought for just a moment. "To answer your question…Did your father ever tell you that by accident I became his…," the black haired ninja cringed in shame at this memory. "…That I was his…his first kiss?"

The boy could only stare blankly at the tall man for a moment. "Okay, I believe you."

"Really, just like that?"

"Yeah, my dad never put that in his book, but the Uncle Sasuke I know would _never_ make up something like that unless it was true."

"…Thanks…I guess."

At this point the boy put on a warm smile. "Its good to have you home Uncle Sasuke."

"It's good to be home kid."

Shinachiku was tempted to give his godfather a warm hug, but even now there was something not totally comfortable about the situation. So instead he settled for extending his hand. Unfortunately, he had put out his right hand and only then remembered that Sasuke had lost his left arm at the end of the war. After an awkward realization, the boy quickly pulled out his left hand instead, to which Sasuke was able to shake with his only remaining hand.

"So…can I come in now, or are there any more proof of identity questions I have to pass first?"

"Oh right, sorry. Come in, come in." The boy then called out to inside the house. "Hanami, please come here! We've got a visitor!"

The pink haired girl came into the front room and her face lit up at the sight of their guest.

"Uncle Sasuke!" The girl leapt at her godfather who embraced her in a one armed hug.

"Well, its good to see that at least _one_ of you kids remembers me." Shinachiku blushed and pouted at that remark, but then he remembered something.

"Hey, Uncle Sasuke, what did you mean when you said something about an adventure?"

The Uchiha merely smirked. "Let's go inside kid, I'll tell you all about it."

* * *

><p>The Orange Hokage and his pink-haired wife strolled down the streets of Konoha toward their home, arms interlocked and her head on his shoulder. The woman was humming to herself as she did this.<p>

"Uh, Sakura?"

"Sorry, I just-It feels nice for us to just be walking like this. I feel so safe and comfortable with you, just like when-"

"Like when we first started dating." Naruto didn't need to wait for her to finish her sentence.

"Yeah." She pecked her husband on the cheek. "And at least now I don't have to worry about beating girls off of you with a stick."

"No, I'm pretty sure that monster strength of yours would be more than good enough-"

Naruto had to stop that thought as he was knocked on the head by his wife. "Damn it Naruto, why did you have to ruin the moment by saying something like that?!"

"Gomen, gomen! I meant it as a compliment, I swear!"

Sakura folding her arms, "You darn well better have!" But then the women turned back and saw her soul mate rubbing the newly formed bump on his head. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry about that! I guess my temper got carried away again."

Naruto merely brushed it off with one of his signature goofy grins and lighthearted chuckles. "Hey don't 'fret, I got used to your temper a _long_ time ago."

This made Sakura feel even guiltier. "I don't deserve someone like you-"

"Hey! Don't you start that again! I've told that you deserve all the happiness in the world and that _I'm_ the lucky one here. You're smart, strong, beautiful, assertive, speak your mind, you're everything I've ever wanted in a woman. I don't think I could stand being married to someone who just stayed quiet and shy and never let her anger out at her husband. Marriage is a two-way thing and any relationship where the man and the woman don't stand on equal ground is no way to live a life, or raise a family."

"Wow…That was surprisingly profound of you Naruto. I guess twelve years in the Hokage's chair really has given you a lot more wisdom."

"It wasn't the chair honey, I just grew up that's all."

Sakura pulled her husband into a warm hug. "Yeah, you really have. You've grown into the strongest, selfless, most wonderful man I've ever known." She ended her praise by claiming his lips in a soft but passionate kiss, which he returned without complaint.

"Come on; let's hurry home so we can check in on the kids."

The Hokage smiled again. "Sure, they're both probably bored to death by now."

* * *

><p>By the time the couple finally made it back to their house, they noticed some commotion coming from inside their luxury mansion.<p>

"Well, the kids sure sound like they're having fun," Sakura said.

"Yeah, I bet they both raided the ramen cupboard again!"

"I warned you about feeding them that stuff when they were too young. I'm a doctor, and kids their age need to have a fully-developed diet comprised of all four food groups."

"I'll have you know that ramen consists of all the essential food groups in one. The noodles represent wheat and grain, you can chop vegetables into it like green onions, and boiled eggs can go into it, sliced pork, fruits…well I can't think of any fruit you can put into it, but kids needs plenty of water, and the broth is obviously-" By this point Naruto had to stop because he saw his wife scolding at him again. "I've got no chance of winning this argument, do I?"

"No, but it was an amusing effort. Just open the door."

Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to their house and opened the door. When they stepped inside they called out to their kids. "Shinachiku? Hanami? We're home!"

"DADDY!"

The young pink-haired girl ran into her father's arms for a huge hug.

"You sure are in a good mood tonight sweetie. Are you and your brother getting along?"

"Yeah, we're having a lot of fun now that Uncle Sasuke is back!"

"Wha-What?!" That incredulous reaction came from the _other_ parent in the room.

"Yes mommy, Uncle Sasuke is here right now! Come on!"

She grabbed her mother by the hand and led her into the dining room, her father following close behind. There they saw their twelve year old son sitting at the dinner table finishing his second cup of instant ramen for the night while looking at a batch of weird paperwork set on the table by a tall, black haired man in a black poncho.

There was an instant silence in the room as the three adults all laid eyes on each other for the first time in years. It was as if time itself had come to a complete standstill. The room was so quiet that you could literally drop a pin on the tile floor and everyone would hear it. Both of the kids suddenly got very nervous; Hanami never liked it when people argued, especially her family, and while Shinachiku had never seen it in person, he had read his dad's book so many times that he was well aware of the bad blood that used to exist between the two adult men, not to mention the, err, complicated romantic triangle they used to share with his mom. The poor boy was dreading what may or may not come of this unexpected reunion.

What felt like hours was really about ten seconds as, finally, their unexpected visitor stood up from the table and addressed the masters of the house.

"Naruto. Sakura." The Uchiha addressed them both, but he did not feel the need to bow, even if he was in the Hokage's own house.

"Sasuke." The Hokage addressed his one-time best friend and teammate, but he did not bow either. His wife just stood there, not saying anything.

Both men approached each other until they were only a few feet apart. They each stared the other down for a few tense seconds, as if either one of them could pull a hidden kunai on the other at any moment…

…And then they each got a grin on their faces, a smug one from the Uchiha and a large, goofy one from the Uzumaki. Those grins transcended into chuckling, then full blown laughter. All the tension was sucked out of the room as the two men dropped their tough guy act and laughed, and Shinachiku released a deep breath that he did not even realize that he was holding.

"It so good to see you Sasuke! It's been way too long!"

"Too long old friend."

The two men shook hands, until Naruto couldn't resist pulling his brother into a manly hug, which Sasuke awkwardly accepted…briefly.

"You did learn a long time ago that a ninja is supposed to keep his emotions in check, right…_Especially_ around other men."

"Yeah, but last time I checked emotions were also what made us all human."

"Touché, dobe."

Sasuke then noticed his other former teammate in the room. She could only stand there blankly for a moment, until the Uchiha put on yet another of his smug smirks. "What, I don't get a hug from you too?"

Sakura broke out of her surprise with a healthy giggle as she wrapped her old teammate in a warm hug. Naruto watched this and, unlike when they were kids, he had no reason to feel any jealousy at this scene. She was his now, they wore the rings to prove that. This was just welcoming home a lost part of the family…Wait a minute, _family_?

"Um…hey Sasuke, where are Karin and Sarada?"

Sasuke broke up the hug with Sakura to turn to the blonde; he clearly had a rare look of discomfort on his face.

"Naruto…Sakura…can I discuss something with you both…in private?"

Naruto got suspicious, but went along with it anyway. "Sure. Shina, could you please go take your sister and go up to your rooms for a little while. Uncle Sasuke and I need to have a talk."

"Okay dad." The boy did as he was told and took his sister with him upstairs. But he had a hopeful smile on his face.

'Please, _please_ let them say yes!'

* * *

><p>Well, there you have it! What were Sasuke and Shinkachiku talking about that has the boy so excited? What will his parents say? Why does Sasuke even need Shinachiku in the first place? And is there more to this mystery adventure than either father or son are allowed to know? You'll just have to come back next time to find out. Until then feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts. Until next time!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4--The Quest for the Chakra Gems

Hey everybody, thesaiyanjedi here, back with another chapter.

I know it's been a few days since I last updated, but I found myself caught up in work the last few days and I needed to take extra time to work out the details for this chapter. This is where the plot really needed to be set in motion so, since I admittedly did not have a plan outlined when I started this, I had to decide for myself what I wanted to do as I went along. As such, I am a bit worried that some of the ideas I am presenting here might be a bit lame, or maybe there are some bits of information in the Naruto canon that I either overlooked of forgot about as I tried to work this into the canon universe that Kishimoto wrote.

Also, I apologize for any spelling errors that might slip by into the finished chapter; I swear I'm not a bad writer, I'm just not the best editor, and by the time I finally get done writing something, I am often too tired to do a thorough spell-check for errors my Word processor might have missed.

Lastly, I like to make an acknowledgement to Hanmac for his review of my last chapter. You said that you preferred the spelling of "Sarada" instead of "Salada," and thinking it over, I agree with you. I have actually seen in spelled both ways since the final two chapters came out, and I went with the latter because the pun was more obvious so I assumed that that was the correct spelling of her name. Looking it up on Narutopedia (after I got over the sting of having to read the canon listing of who her parents are), I found her true name to be "Sarada," thus I will be using that spelling for the rest of this story because, while I know that this is not the case in official canon, I, like many NaruSaku fans, feel that she bears a much closer resemblance to Karin than she does Sakura.

But in speaking of Sarada, I'm not against forming a bond between her and Shinachiku, but if Karin is her mother, and Karin is from the Uzumaki clan (most likely a cousin of Naruto's), doesn't that count as incest? No, really, I'm not clear on this, or exactly how closely related Naruto and Karin are supposed to be. Then again as I understand it the Hyūga and Uchiha clans married within their clans as well (again, I _think_ that is the case, _please_ correct me if I am wrong).

Well, I think that that is all I've got to say, except once again that you all for your support and your patience and I hope you all enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: The Quest for the Chakra Gems<strong>

"You want my son for _WHAT?!_"

Sakura didn't know what to expect when Naruto agreed to talk with Sasuke after his unexpected visit, but this was certainly the last thing she could ever have guessed.

"I said that I want to take Shinachiku with me on an adventure."

"What _kind_ of adventure?" Naruto asked with great suspicion.

"Well, I was just about to explain it to you before your wife had a panic attack and interrupted me." The Uchiha turned back to the pink haired woman. "Funny, I thought Naruto was supposed to be the one who acts without thinking, when did the roles reverse themselves?"

Sakura folded her arms. "They haven't, but then again _he_ became Hokage and _I_ became that boy's mother, so you'd better start explaining things."

Sasuke smirked, "Very well." He pulled out a map of the ninja world and some ancient scrolls. "When I left the village again after the war I did so to find ways to make amends for my crimes, and I especially wanted to make things up to the two of you. I made contacts throughout the shinobi nations to serve as a sort-of spy network to monitor for any hints of malicious machinations or Atkatsuki-level missing-nin activity."

"Like Pervy Sage," Naruto remembered fondly.

"Pretty much. Anyway, a few months ago, one of my contacts reported about rumors spreading across the Lightning Country about a rogue ninja sect, one who are on a manhunt for an all-powerful weapon, one that can single-handedly destroy an entire village, killing millions of people all at once."

"That's impossible," Sakura said incredulously.

"Is it? When Pain invaded this very village he was able to use a jutsu to literally crush everything you love, only Naruto's intervention stopping him. Hell, jinchūriki themselves have been considered living weapons for years by many, myself included, until, again, our blonde knucklehead here helped teach the world the see things differently. Who's to say there isn't yet another force out there, an item made by human hand, capable of similar chaos?"

Naruto took all of this in. "Okay, so what kind of weapon is this exactly?"

"A jewel, one of seven. According to these ancient scrolls I have discovered, these seven jewels each contain an incredible chakra that allows each to use a different, incredible power, and when brought together, they could either destroy whoever carries them, or give them the power of a god. Myth has it that they were created by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself."

Naruto and Sakura both sat up in alarm at that name. Kaguya was the greatest challenge any of them had ever faced. A goddess who possessed chakra unlike any the world had known. To this day, how the three of them together were ever able to defeat her is nothing short of a miracle.

"That doesn't make sense," Sakura noted. "Kaguya was a zealot after she ate the Shinju fruit. She believed that all chakra was her's and her's alone. Why would she put any of it into jewels for others to find and use?"

"I admit that it doesn't make much sense to my either, except perhaps that she intended them each as weapons to be shared amongst her two son's, Hagoromo and Hamura, if they should ever need them. After she realized that both of her son's inherited her chakra and she lost her trust in humanity, she eventually went mad and not only devised the Infinite Tsukuyomi to trap her enemies and turn them into White Zetsus, but she fused with the Shinju becoming the Ten-Tails, forcing her son's to separate and absorb her chakra, Hagoromo becoming the first jinchūriki in the process, and sealing her body within the moon, then dividing her chakra into the form of the tailed beasts. The jewels however, were left behind, probably overlooked by history in the wake of everything else that happened. But the two brothers knew better so, fearful of the power that was contained within them, especially if they were ever to be brought together, they chose to scatter the jewels to the far corners of the world, buried deep where no one would ever find them. They named them the 'Chakra Gems.'"

"Catchy," Naruto said sarcastically.

"Hey, you got a better name for them?" Naruto said nothing; "Didn't think so."

But now Sakura needed to interject. "But how come we are only finding out about this now? The Sage of Six Paths spoke to both of you and never once did he say anything about these 'Chakra Gems' or whatever they are."

"He probably didn't feel it was relevant. As incredibly powerful as the Chakra Gems are they had nothing to do with Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan or with Kaguya's resurrection."

Naruto, who had been going over Sasuke's scrolls himself all throughout his description, had some questions of his own.

"So basically what you're saying is that we need to recover these Chakra Gems before this new enemy force does, is that right?"

"Basically, yes."

"Who is this new enemy exactly?"

Sasuke zoned out at that latest question. He did not want to divulge this part to the happy couple for reasons that were entirely his own. He could still remember it clearly even today…

* * *

><p>…It is twelve years before the present day and Naruto Uzumaki, recently appointed Seventh Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, is about to fulfill the second of his two greatest dreams. He is about to get married to the love of his life. For twenty-two years he has dreamed of this moment, and the five years they had been together had been the happiest of his entire life. He has Sakura's love, he has his dream job, he has his best friend back, and he has the love and admiration of the village that had once deemed him a monster. But best of all, in just a few months he is going to be a father!<p>

Yes, after the long and passion-filled night they shared the day he proposed to her, Sakura had become pregnant with Naruto's child. When Tsunade first told Sakura the news she was terrified, not for herself, but for what Naruto was going to say. He had just proposed marriage to her and taken the Hokage position weeks before; their lives were already changing so fast. Was this really the best time to burden him with news of a baby?

Well, Sakura did not have to worry about anything. When Naruto got back from work one day Sakura was waiting for him. She sat her fiancé down on their master bed and took his hand in hers. He was confused about what was going on at first, until she just came out and told him the truth.

"_Wha…A-a baby?"_

"_Yep. I'm…" Sakura suddenly got this smile filled with feminine pride, as if a great truth had suddenly washed over her. "I'm gonna be a mother, y'know!"_

_Naruto was still left dumbstruck. "And I'm…I'm gonna be a father…"_

"_I'm gonna be a mother, y'know!"_

_A goofy grin started to form on the blonde man's face. "And I'm gonna be a father."_

"_I'm gonna be a mother, you know!"_

"_And I'm gonna be a father! Oh my God, Sakura, this the best thing that's ever happened to me!"_

"_Is it really?"_

"_Yes, you, our child, this life…It's everything I ever wanted." Naruto couldn't resist anymore and embraced his wife in a huge hug. "I love you so much Sakura!"_

"_I love you too Naruto, so, so much!" Tears of pure joy were now poring down the woman's face as they shared a loving kiss; all the while Naruto placed his hand on her stomach, thanking the heavens for finally giving him a family…_

That was one of the two happiest moments of Naruto's life, right up there with when Sakura agreed to marry him. In short, Naruto at last had everything he ever wanted…Well, _almost_ everything.

"Mom…Dad…Third…Pervy Sage…Neji…I wish you guys could have been here to see this." Naruto said this aloud, not caring that there was no one else in the room to hear him. Besides, the loved ones he was referring to likely were able to hear him anyway, in a better place.

Naruto was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal his former team mate and best friend, Sasuke Uchiha, dressed in a sleek black tuxedo. "Hey dobe, you do know what time it is, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost done!" Naruto was in his own tuxedo, but the poor fool just couldn't fix one little problem. "Hey Sasuke, could you give me a hand here? I can't get this stupid tie on."

"You're joking right? The Hokage of our village, hero of the entire world and you can't even put on a tie by yourself?" Annoyed silence was his response. "Fine, let me look at it."

As Sasuke went to work on his best friend's tie, he had a few other things he needed to say. "Listen dobe, you practically begged on your hands and knees for me to come back home long enough to be your best man, and if I'm going to be here for this, then I'll be damned if I'm going to let the only brother I have left be late for his own wedding."

"And I appreciate that, I really do." Naruto turned back to a mirror in the room to look at his best man's handiwork. "Thanks, it looks great…Wait a minute, how were you able to do that with only one arm?!"

"I have my ways."

"…Okaaayyy. Anyway, I guess we better get going to the church now. I can't keep my lady waiting!" Naruto said that last part with the same goofy enthusiasm that he had at twelve years old.

"Still as annoyingly happy as ever," Sasuke groaned. "By the way, what's this rumor I'm hearing about _you_ wanting to write a book?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it, still haven't decided about it though. Kids keep coming up to me wanting to know about my adventures, I mean _all_ of them. You save the world a few times and suddenly the whole world wants to know every detail about you life."

"It's called being a celebrity."

"Yeah, well, I love all of the attention, don't get me wrong, but they keep asking me so many times that it's honestly starting to get annoying. I figure maybe if I just put it all down on paper, I could cut that down a little bit. That and-" Naruto stopped himself, not sure if he should finish his next sentence.

"What?"

"Well, it's what I think Pervy Sage would have done. He was an author too. You ever read _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_?"

"The only books by Master Jiraiya I've ever heard of involved erotica, fetishes and all manner of things that grown men like you and Kakashi-sensei mastur-"

"What I _mean_ is that, _before_ he did any of that, Pervy Sage wrote this book about a ninja who never gives up and vows to break a curse, a vicious cycle of war, conflict and hatred that infects the whole world. It wasn't a big hit, but, well, my parent's named me after the main character in that book." Sasuke raised an eyebrow in curiosity at this part. "I guess I kind of want to follow in his footsteps in some way, that's all. You think anyone would want to read it?"

"I suppose _some_ people might enjoy it, but don't expect a whole lot of rave reviews and overnight success or anything. Just promise me one thing: if you do write it, try to go easy on me, okay? I already have an enormous self-inflicted bad rep I'm fighting to fix every day; I don't need your published life's story making it any worse!"

"I'll try my best, but the truth is the truth. Now come on, let's go!"

* * *

><p>The halls of the Konoha Cathedral were filled to bursting with friends, family and well-wishers from all the Allied Shinobi Nations. Even major foreign dignitaries, like Gaara of Sunagakure, who went against some of his advisers and left his village to come all the way out here just to see his closest friend get married…Besides, it gave him an excuse to see his sister again, after she had recently moved here to start a relationship with the Hokage's newly appointed adviser, Shikamaru Nara.<p>

In addition to Gaara and his brother Kankurō, Durai, Raikage of Kumogakure was there along with his bodyguard Omoi, as were Chōjūrō, Mizukage of Kirigakure and his bodyguard, and Kurotsuchi, Tsuchikage of Iwagakure along with her escort Akatsuchi. Their predecessors were all there as well, A, Mei Terumī, and Ōnoki, respectively. A, of course, brought his brother Killer B with him as well. But most important of all, both of Naruto and Sakura's successors, Lady Tsunade and their former sensei, Kakashi Hatake, were among the most important guests there, both of them proud beyond words to see both of their student's finally come together.

All of Naruto and Sakura's closest friends were there. In fact, several of them were involved in the ceremony itself. Shikamaru and Kiba were serving as groomsman, with Sasuke as the best man. Hinata and Tenten were serving as bridesmaids, with Ino as the maid of honor. Sakura was initially hesitant to ask Hinata to be involved, fearing how incredibly awkward it would surely be for her, but to her surprise the Hyūga heiress insisted on it, saying that today was all about her and Naruto's future, not about whatever lingering feelings she may or may not have for the Hokage. The rest of their friends, Chōji, Shino, Lee and Sai were all there as front row guests, as were Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, and even Naruto's distant cousin Karin; and all of their friends, whether they were on stage or not, invited their respective clans to this event. Their Jōnin sensei's were all there as well, including Kurenai Yūhi and her daughter Mirai Sarutobi, and the ever youthful Might Guy, now tragically retired and bound to a wheelchair due to an injury sustained during the war. And of course, Iruka Umino was right there in the front row to support his favorite student on his big day. Even some of their civilian friends encountered during their adventures, such as Inari and his family were there.

Naruto was about to sweat bullets when the organ began playing and the large double doors opened up. 'Here Comes the Bride' bellowed through the halls as Kizashi Haruno escorted an angel down the hallway. This angel was wearing an absolutely stunning white gown. Naruto was rendered speechless as she approached the end of the hallway, Kizashi having some very brief words with his future son-in-law.

"Take good care of her kiddo."

"I promise I will…dad."

With that the father of the bride took his seat next to his already crying wife, Mebuki.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony…" The priest went on his usual prepared speech and, with all due respect to him, the two lovers were hardly paying attention, both of them far too caught up in each other, until the time came for them to exchange their vows. Once that was done, it was time for the grand finale.

Naruto Uzumaki, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

Naruto smiled happily, "I do."

"Sakura Haruno, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

Sakura was on the verge of crying tears of joy as she said, "I do."

"If there be any person here who has any reason why these two should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace…"

…And that's when they saw it. Out of the back of the crowd a stranger garbed in black, including a black mask covering the lower half of his face, came out with a large kunai hidden on his person where even the Anbu could not find it, and threw the weapon with incredible skill at the bride!

Naruto, sensing the danger immediately, acted instinctively and used his father's signature technique, the Flying Thunder God, to teleport him and his bride to the other end of the cathedral. As Hokage he needed to be prepared for anything, and so thank goodness he went ahead and planted a hidden Flying Thunder God kunai just in case something where to happen. Sakura could hardly register any if it though, she was still too dazed from the sudden turn of events to even process everything yet, save for an ever growing feeling of sadness and heartbreak.

The assassin was in the midst of making his escape and was proving to be an incredibly gifted combatant. Like Lee and Guy, he had no apparent ninjutsu or genjutsu, so he relied on taijutsu alone, and he was giving even Lee a damn good run for his money. The assassin fought off him and most of the Konoha 11, none of whom were pulling punches or had any interest in playing fair at the moment.

Actually, the most bizarre thing about this attack was that, while the assassin was not using any ninjutsu or genjutsu himself, none of the techniques that the shinobi used were having any effect. Shikamaru used his Shadow Imitation Technique to restrain the assassin, but Shikamaru's shadow literally repelled itself before it made contact with the enemy's shadow, much to the Nara's astonishment. Ino attempted her Mind Body Disturbance Technique to render the enemy a vegetable, but something was shielding his mind from mental attack. All of Shino's insects were retreating from the assassin when they arrived within meters of him. Sai unleashed his Super Beast Imitation Drawing Technique, but the ink creatures were turned to globs of black putty when they came within the assassin's presence. Chōji attempted his Human Bullet Technique, but again he was repelled away as if the assassin was protected by some sort of invisible shield. Hinata pulled out all the stops by unleashing her Gentle Step Twin Lions Fists, but even that was having little effect; she found herself better off relying on her usual Gentle Fist fighting style, but the assassin's amazing agility was formidable. Kiba was having a bit of luck as his and Akamaru's techniques were more taijutsu based, but these were still doing minimal damage.

"Who the hell is this guy?!" Kiba shouted.

"Fight now, questions later." Shino responded.

"How is he repelling all of other techniques like this?" Ino questioned.

Shikamaru was the one to answer her. "I don't know, but damn this is a drag. He's got to have some kind of ninjutsu shield or something, it's the only explanation."

Even the wedding guests joined in on the action. Gaara was prepared to use his Sand Coffin Technique to literally crush this imposture into dust, only resisting for concern that his sand might be repelled like all the rest. Temari used her fan to blow the enemy into submission, but he was able to hold his ground throughout it. Kankurō brought one puppet with him to the wedding just in case, Karasu. He at one point looked like he had the assassin in his sights, but the enemy destroyed all of the puppet's arms, and severed Kankurō's chakra threads, leaving the puppet effectively useless.

The seniors and senseis all stepped in as well, even if they had figured out by now that their jutsu weren't going to have much effect. Kakashi did attempt to use his Mangekyō Sharingan, but the enemy, once again, had immunity to genjutsu, even one of that power.

"This is ridiculous! What the hell are we supposed to do?" It was Sasuke, of all people, asking this question.

"I've got one idea," Naruto said, "You help out while the bride and groom handle it! It's obvious that neither your Chidori or my Rasengan are going to work, so Sasuke, I want you to use your Fire Ball Jutsu as a distraction, while I use an army of shadow clones to pin him down and Sakura-"

Naruto had to stop as he turned to his bride. She was in a state of shock, already in tears as she appeared frozen, oblivious to the chaos that transpired around her. All she could see was the church in shambles, the guests either fighting or fleeing in panic, the realization that both she and the love of her life were nearly killed at the alter…

"SAKURA!"

The pink-haired bride was broken out of her shock by her fiancé's yell.

"W-What?"

"Honey, I need you to focus, Sasuke and I are going to need your help to take this guy down!"

Sakura was still coming to when she caught a glimpse of the assassin, at the current moment deflecting or dodging Tenten's entire weapons arsenal. Something came over her, something that Naruto was instantly worried of. He had seen her get angry, often at himself, more times than he'd care to count, but there was still a big difference between the frustrated and angry Sakura that he and their friends all knew and what he was seeing now. This wasn't just anger, this-this was _hate_! Pure, unadulterated, unabashed hate! This assassin would be lucky to have any of his bones or limbs intact by the time she was through with him.

"This was our wedding day…He ruined it…He _ruined_ it! He attacks me! He attacks my fiancé! He attacks my friends…my _family_! **HE…IS…DEAD!**

"Um, honey, I want him taken out just as bad as you, **believe** me, but if we kill him now then we won't be able to interrogate him and get some answers. You understand me, right?"

Naruto braced himself for the worst as his furious wife turned to face him, but then she took a huge sigh to refocus. "You're right…you're right. So what's the plan?"

"Like I was telling Sasuke, he will distract this guy with his Fireball Jutsu, then I'll subdue him with a mass of shadow clones, and while I've got him down, you come in and hit him with a chakra enhanced punch, enough to knock him out while we cuff him."

"That's it? _That's_ you plan dobe? It sounds pretty simple to me."

"Excuse me but who's the Hokage here and whose wedding was this again?"

"Fine, I'll do this your way…today. But how do you know that my fire will be a good enough distraction? This guy's got some damn good reflexes and will likely dodge your clones before they can grab him."

"Hmm…good point."

"Let me handle that." The two boys turned to the pink-haired bride, her resolve restored and determination in her eyes. "I've got a little surprise. It's simple, but it should do well enough."

"Okay, but that super strength of yours is still chakra enhanced, and as we have clearly seen this guy can somehow nullify all chakra techniques."

"It won't matter," Naruto butted in. "He is clearly a taijutsu specialist and Sakura's strength is essentially just enhanced martial arts blows, the force of which are so great that it should still be enough to hold up against whatever shield he's using for the time we need. Besides," he turned towards Sakura grinning, "my girl once punched a _goddess_ into submission, I'm sure this creep has got no chance!" Naruto noticed the blush as Sakura smiled back at him. "So, everybody clear on the plan?"

"Hai!" Sakura and Sasuke both said together.

Sasuke called out to the assassin. "Hey stupid!" The enemy turned and charged at the Uchiha.

"FIRE STYLE: FIREBALL JUTSU!"

The wave of flames was fierce, but the assassin was quick enough to dodge them as he leaped into the air…only to suffer a painful sting in his right leg.

The pain was caused by a kunai that was thrown by the bride herself…which she had pulled out the garter belt that was part of the lingerie Ino had helped her pick out for her and Naruto's honeymoon. The opening was just what Naruto needed.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

The young Hokage had made about twenty clones, as a precaution to make sure this guy was overpowered. After a moment of struggling, Naruto at last had him pinned.

"NOW SAKURA, NOW!"

"SHARRANO!"

Sakura focused her chakra into her fist and landed a massive, murderous punch at the one who destroyed the most important day of her life. It was damn lucky that whatever jutsu-nullifier he was using was depleting her monster strength even before the punch made contact, otherwise he would have been reduced to a pile of mush and the cathedral would probably be reduced to a crater, no questions asked. As it stands, the blows still did enough to knock the guy out in one blow, maybe enough to put him into a coma.

The battle was over. The assassin was rendered comatose and needed to be restrained before there was any attempt at escape.

Naruto called out to Sai and the other Anbu that had been fighting during the battle. "Cuff him, now!"

Sai happily slapped the cuffs on the unconscious body himself. "What should we do with him, Hokage-sama?"

"First, hold him for a moment." Naruto reached out and pulled down the assassin's mask, revealing…a total stranger. It was a face Naruto had never seen before, and hopefully, when he had told them everything they need to know, would never see again."

"Sai, I want you to take this bastard to the Strict Correctional Facility and place him under heavy guard at all times. I don't want any to take chances once he finally wakes up."

"Yes sir!" Sai bowed and gave those same orders to the Anbu under his command.

"Ino," Naruto called out to the blonde kunoichi, now trying to comfort her heartbroken best friend. "I want you to lead the interrogation, but not until I arrive there myself. This guy obviously won't let you read his mind, so we're going to have to use some more _old fashioned _methods of making him talk, if you catch my meaning."

"Yes sir!" Ino answered with confidence. She usually wasn't much for this sort of thing, but this guy just destroyed her best friend's wedding day, so be damned if she wasn't going to give him hell for it! "But why wait, won't you be going right now?"

"In a minute, right now my place is with the woman I love."

Ino smiled warmly as she left to join her boyfriend Sai and the ANBU escort to the prison. A lot of their friends decided to tag along as well, wanting to hear an explanation for all of this madness themselves.

Naruto had taken a seat next to his bride, taking her hand in his. She looked up at him as he gave her one of his warm, comforting smiles, the ones that always lit up even her darkest moments. She couldn't hold back anymore; she fell into his arms and cried her eyes out. Naruto didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, whispering soft words of comfort to her as she let it all out. She soon felt better and gave Naruto one last warm hug, followed by a passionate kiss. Naruto then put his hand on her still flat stomach.

"It's okay Naruto, he's safe."

"Thank god for that; I couldn't bear to have lost either of you."

"And you never will. I love you Naruto."

"I love you too Sakura."

The two lovers kissed one more time. But when they broke apart she noticed a slight blush on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry about it Sakura."

"No, really, what are you thinking about?"

"It's-it's not the appropriate time-"

"Naruto!"

"I was just-well…How come you had a kunai hidden under your wedding dress?"

"Oh, um, well-Lady Tsunade taught me that a true kunoichi is always prepared for anything, and I had no other place to store weapons, and after we got engaged Ino dragged me with her to pick out something special for our honeymoon…"

Sakura was feeling embarrassed up until now, when suddenly a playful deviousness kicked in out of nowhere.

"Why, does the thought of me hiding weapons in my underwear bother you, Hokage-sama?"

"Actually, I think it pretty se-Hey Kizashi! Mebuki!"

Sakura's parents soon joined them, saying anything they could to cheer their daughter up and thanking Naruto for keeping her safe.

It was then that they heard a grown; the assassin was barely starting to stir. Sasuke leaned over to see if he could make out anything he might say. What he heard were two words, said so quiet that only Sasuke could hear them before the assassin passed out once again:

"_Hail Taka."_

Sasuke had a blank look on his face upon hearing this, neither a look of confirmation nor of surprise, but a look that let a sharp-eyed observer know that many thoughts were on his mind.

Naruto called out, "Sasuke, what did he say?"

Sasuke paused only for an instant. "He didn't say anything; just some jumbled up rubbish I couldn't make out. We'll have to wait until the interrogation to get more out of him."

"Okay, let get to work healing the wounded and getting this bastard into his prison cell."

Everybody did as they were ordered, but Sasuke never noticed that at least one of Naruto's closest friends, his adviser Shikamaru Nara, was eyeing the Uchiha with suspicion…

* * *

><p>"Sasuke are you alright?"<p>

"Wh-What?"

"I asked you if you knew who this new enemy was, the ones looking for these 'Chakra Gem' thingies?"

"No, I'm afraid the identity of the ones responsible remains unknown at this time."

Naruto only nodded his head at this, but also suspicious that his best friend knew something he didn't want to admit also.

"I still don't understand," Sakura interrupted, "Why do you need to take Shinachiku with you on this mission?"

Sasuke pointed to the map he had brought with him. "Through my connections in the other shinobi nations I was able to come across this map to one of the Chakra Gems, or at least where it is rumored to be buried."

"And where is that?"

Sasuke turned to Naruto, "In the remains of the Hidden Eddy Village."

Sakura let out a gasp while Naruto was lost in thought. The Hidden Eddy Village, the name alone referred to a place he had never been, yet also felt so connected to.

"The Hidden Eddy Village?" Sakura turned to her husband. "Isn't that-"

"Yes Sakura…That was the village where my mother was born. It was her home before they brought her here to become Kurama's second jinchūriki."

Yes Naruto, we've all read about it in your book. And as you know the Uzumaki clan of the Hidden Eddy Village was long-time allies of the Hidden Leaf Village renowned for their expertise in sealing jutsu; in fact, Lady Mito, the first jinchūriki of the nine-tails, was also the First Hokage's wife. What you did _not_ know is that long ago the Uzumaki clan came into possession of one of the Chakra Gems and used their jutsu to seal it away somewhere in the village…or rather, whatever _remains_ of the village today." Sasuke noticed the look on Naruto's face after that last remark. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean any offense-"

"It's okay. I just…when I was training with Octipops to control Kurama I had to look inside myself, and when I did…I met my mother for the first and only time…"

"Yeah, I know. You put it in your-"

"Hey, don't interrupt him!" Sakura retorted.

"Sorry."

"Anyway," Naruto continued, "Mom didn't have much time with me, I know, but she never told me anything about a Chakra Gem hidden in her old village."

Sasuke was silent only for a moment. "I could be that she never knew about it. The Chakra Gems have been described to me as objects of unfathomable power, as in tailed beast level, so it's not hard to imagine that once the gem was sealed the clan took a vow of silence about it. That or she might have withheld it from you-"

"Watch it Sasuke!"

"I'm only saying that there are a lot of reasons why she didn't, or couldn't, have told you. But now that you've mentioned Kushina, that brings me to why I'm here." Both Naruto and Sakura both paid close attention to what their old friend was about to say next. "According to the sources I've been able to collect, the seal that has been placed on the gem's burial site is a powerful one that can only be opened by another from the Uzumaki bloodline."

"Kushina's blood," Sakura said in understanding.

"_My_ blood," Naruto said in even clearer understanding.

"Exactly. As the last of the Uzumaki clan, you, Naruto, are the natural heir to the Chakra Gem that resides within that village. But you're the Hokage now, meaning that you cannot just abandon your village to go on a mission like this for too long. So that leaves…"

"Shinkachiku," both parents said at the same time.

"Yeah."

Naruto took a deep breath, "So it's not just my son's talent or even his companionship you want, it's his blood."

"Well, when you put it _that_ way-"

"Why don't you just ask Karin to help with this? She is from the Uzumaki clan too."

Sasuke got a very uncomfortable look on his face, one that both his friends noticed.

"Karin and I…we've split up."

"What?! What happened?!" Sakura asked in shock.

"It's personal. Let's just say that we had an argument, things were said, by both of us, and now she's taken Sarada and moved on."

"How long ago was this?" Sakura asked again.

"About a year now."

Now Naruto had to interject. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"Because you didn't need to know."

"Sasuke, we're your _friends_, Karin is my _cousin_, Sarada is our _goddaughter_; of **course** we needed to know!"

"Look, my point is that I weighted all of our options and the best way to get to the Chakra Gem before this new enemy does is with your son's help."

Both parents shared a look before Naruto took another sigh, "Have you spoken to him about this already?"

"Yes and the boy is quite excited."

"I'll bet he is. You realize that I would have to inform his sensei about this-"

"That's not a good idea. This mission will require as much stealth and anonymity and possible, so the best option would be if I took the boy myself."

"If anyone but you had said that, I would be throwing you out of my house right now for even _implying_ that!" Sakura said firmly.

"Sakura, I understand your concern, I really do; I'm a parent myself remember? But Shinachiku isn't a little boy anymore, he's a Genin now; before you know it he's going to be an adult. If he's going to grow into a great ninja then he is going to have to get out and experience the real world some time. We can't always use peacetime as an excuse to shelter our children from the real world."

"But Sasuke, he's my son…" Sakura was starting to get tears in her eyes by this point.

"I give you both my word that no harm will come to him. I'll take good care of my godson; he has a great destiny ahead of him, and I will help him fulfill it if I can."

Naruto was silent for a good long while. He exchanged silent glances at Sakura, who did seem to take some comfort in Sasuke's confession."

"Sasuke, if I let my son go with you, on what would be the first real adventure on his life, can you make me a promise of a lifetime that you will bring him home alive?"

Sasuke stood up from the table, smiled warmly, and extended his hand. "I promise on my life that Shinachiku will come home to you alive and well."

Naruto and Sakura both felt comfortable with Sasuke's promise. After exchanging one last, satisfied look, they both nodded, and the Uzumaki and the Uchiha shook hands.

"Alright, I trust you Sasuke. Now there is just one more thing we need to do."

"Oh, and what's that?"

Naruto called out to the stairs. "Shinachiku, could you come down stairs for a minute?"

The patter of feet loudly coming down the stairs could be heard at a quickened pace. The blonde haired boy soon joined his parents and his godfather in the dining room.

"Yes dad?"

"Son, did your Uncle Sasuke talk to you about why he's here?"

"Oh yeah, he told me all about the Chakra Gems and the Grandma Kushina's old village, and about how my bloodline holds the key to breaking the seal protecting it, and about the mysterious enemy that is also looking for it-"

"Yes, yes, that's great sweetie," Sakura interrupted. "But are you sure you _understand_ what your uncle is asking of you?"

"Yeah mom, I know it's going to be dangerous. I mean I know I'm a bit inexperienced, but if this enemy gets their hands on the gem, any of the gems, it could be a disaster for the whole world. But more than that, I _want_ this! Every time I read dad's book or train with Konohamaru-sensei or speak with Kakashi-sensei or Lady Tsunade, I'm so amazed at what wonderful ninja they are and I always wish _I_ could have adventures like that. I know you guys love me and that you're both worried about my safety, but mom, dad...I want to do this, more than anything. And I promise never to give up or give in no matter what's out there, to never go back on my word, and when it's over, to come back home alive, because that's _my_ nindo, _my_ ninja way!"

The three adults were all stunned at the sincerity and passion in the boy's words. There was no reaction from them for a moment until the boy's father walked up to him and crouched down to his level. He put his bandaged, prosthetic right arm out and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm proud of you son. You just grew three feet taller right before my eyes. God I'm so proud you!" Naruto could not hold back his emotions anymore and pulled his son into a bear hug, which the boy returned. "I love you son."

"I love you too dad."

Sakura couldn't hold back the tears of joy as she ran up to her family and joined them in a loving embrace. Sasuke just stood there looking at the family as memories of what happened the day of the parent's first wedding day flashed through his mind.

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice snapped him out of his train of thought, "I'll need to sort things out tomorrow with Konohamaru and the elders, so how about we agree to see you two off in two days?"

"Okay, that sounds like a plan to me."

"You know," Sakura interjected, "if you need a place to stay until then, you're always welcome in our home-"

"Thank you guys, but that won't be necessary. I can find a hotel to crash at for a couple nights. Besides, I wouldn't be able to get any sleep with your legendary bedroom antics going on all night."

"Sasuke!" Sakura shouted in embarrassment, desperately trying to cover her son's ears so he could not hear what was already said. And hey, the kid was twelve years old, it's not like he didn't know something about the birds and the bees by now anyway! Naruto just awkwardly scratched the back of his head with his prosthetic hand.

"Sorry, sorry, just having some fun. Well, I guess I'd better get going. Thanks again you guys for all of this. Shinachiku, I'll see you in two days. I hope your prepared for the adventure that awaits you kid!"

The boy's face beamed with excitement as his godfather closed the door behind him.

'Oh man,' the boy thought to himself, 'This is gonna by _awesome!'_

* * *

><p>Whew! That was my longest chapter yet! Okay, so I hope that what I just outlined didn't sound too lame to any of you. To anyone who did not guess it, yes, the Chakra Gems are basically a Narutoverse version of the Infinity Gems from Marvel Comics. I realize that the idea and the name might sound lame to some people, so I sort of made fun of the name in the story itself as a bit of self-referential humor since I could not come up with a better name for our McGuffin(s).<p>

The flashback where Sakura first tells Naruto that she's pregnant with Shinachiku was intended as a direct parallel to the scene in episode 247 of Shippuden where Kushina first broke the news of her own pregnancy to Minato.

I know that a lot of NaruSaku fans might have been brokenhearted to see Naruto and Sakura's wedding ruined by an assassination attempt, but as I said in the second chapter, they did have a second attempt at getting married and the second time everything went smoothly. The gag of Sasuke not explaining how he could tie Naruto's tie with only one arm was literally a gag I came up with on the spot to cover my butt when I realized the scene I had just written. The fight scene itself was probably not my best work, as it was hard for me to write choreography for all those characters, keep the names of all their jutsu's right, and figure out what attack would have greater effect than others, so it pretty much just became each of them trying a jutsu a piece and this assassin somehow nullifying everything that wasn't taijutsu, which even then he could counter with his skills alone.

The team up with the former Team 7 was what I was most proud of. While Naruto's plan was relatively simple (again, I had Sasuke call attention to that in the story), it was the spirit of it that counted. Plus, I really wanted Sakura to be the one to take the assassin out, first because of how understandably pissed she would be if someone had ruined her wedding day, second because the image of her clobbering an enemy with her super strength while in her wedding dress was badass, and third because I came up with the gag of her stashing a spare kunai in her garter belt just in case, something I felt a true kunoichi would do…Besides, I figured it would be quite a turn on for Naruto.

Oh yeah, you all want to know about the "Hail Taka" thing, right? Well…I can't tell you anything yet, sorry. But that was definitely put there to get you to start asking questions about the adventure that is to come.

Well, that's all I've got for now; we'll see how long it takes for me to get the next one done. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5--Setting Off

Hey, thesaiyanjedi again. Sorry again for another long period without updating, but here is it, chapter five of this story.

This chapter is essentially the last bit of calm before Shinachiku's adventure really begins. I wanted one last chance to show the family all together and give you a better taste of what the Uzumaki family is really like all together. I think it came out charming, and with a lot of affection and fun to be found here.

Once again, I apologize if there are any spelling errors. There will also be references to other works I like and, for the first time, the inclusion of songs, since I have already established that Shinachiku is a terrific singer.

Well, anyway, on with the story!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Setting Off<strong>

"I can't believe you agreed to this!"

The Seventh Hokage was forced to sit at his desk as his son's sensei, his first pupil, chastised him for his decision to let Sasuke Uchiha, former traitor to the Hidden Leaf Village, take Shinachiku away on a special mission for an undeterminable amount of time, by himself!

"I understand your concern Konohamaru, believe it. But Sasuke had a point, this new enemy, whoever they are, are going to be looking closely for anyone else who may be trying to secure the Chakra Gems. Our best chance at maintaining the element of surprise is if we send as few ninja as possible on this mission. And as for Shinachiku, my son is of Uzumaki blood and he is the only one that can break the seal-"

"Except for YOU! If finding these Chakra Gems is so damned important, then why not take on the responsibility yourself?!"

"You think I don't want to?! This is my _son_ we're talking about! But I'm Hokage now; I can't be away from the village for too long, you know that!"

"Yes, of course I know that! But-"

"Konohamaru, you've known me since you were still at the Academy. Have I ever given you any reason not to trust me?"

"…No, Hokage-sama."

Naruto got up from his desk. "I give you my word that I did not make this decision lightly, and I only did so because I trust Sasuke, and more importantly because I believe in my son. You do too, don't you?"

"Of course I do! Shinachiku is the best student I could have asked for. I'm truly grateful that you agreed to assign him to me after he graduated."

"As if there was any other Jōnin in the village more worthy than you." Naruto sighed. "Listen Konohamaru, I know you're worried, but Shinachiku is a Genin now, and whether either of us like it or not, going into danger is part of his job. If my boy is going to grow up into a man, than he is going to have to get a taste of the real world. You and I have both trained him well, as has his mother; heck, I think even Kakashi-sensei, Baa-chan, all of us have tried teaching him a thing or two, because from the day he was born, we all knew he was going to be something special, but not-"

"But not unless he works hard for it. There are no shortcuts to being a great ninja, just like there are no shortcuts in life. True greatness isn't given, it's earned." Konohamaru smirked to himself, remembering the very same advice that he himself had given the boy the day before.

Naruto smiled, "I couldn't have said it better myself. Listen, he really wants to go on this mission and, well, I believe in him."

Konohamaru said nothing for a moment, and then let out a deep sigh. "I believe in him too. And I'm proud of him…and of you Nii-chan."

The two old friends shook hands. "Thanks kid. Shinachiku and Sasuke will be leaving in a few hours in case you want to see him off."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Very well; dismissed."

With that, his son's sensei left the Hokage's office with more confidence in his pupil than he had before, confidence he should have never lost to begin with. 'He'll be alright,' the Jōnin thought, 'He is smart, strong, and brave; his dad's right, he can do this. Besides, a little adventure might do him some good.'

Back inside the office, Naruto went back to filling out his routine paperwork and emails. His kids were growing up so fast; his son was a Genin now, about to leave on his first real mission, and his daughter was only seven, but before he knows it she too will be graduating the Academy and will be given her own missions as well.

After a while of endlessly boring paperwork, he found his mind drifting, thinking back to one of the happiest days of his life…

* * *

><p>"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"<p>

"That's it Sakura! Come on, you're almost there, just a little more! Push! Push!" Tsunade was there coaching her former student, only this time it wasn't training for a battle, or to become a great medical ninja, this was to give her support as she endured the worst pain a woman ever can endure.

Nine months have passed since Sakura's husband first proposed to her. Nine months since they made love for the first time. Now, five months after their second wedding, following the disastrous first one of which neither of them prefer to remember, the pink-haired kunoichi, top medical ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village and wife of the Seventh Hokage, was about to give birth to their first child.

Shizune was there as well, serving as wet nurse to the future mother. "She's right Sakura, you're doing great! Just a few more and we'll see the head."

Tsunade decided to offer up more words of encouragement. "Remember Sakura, you're a woman, you can do this! Men aren't built to handle this kind of pain, that's why we women are stronger!"

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"Where is Naruto?!" Sakura practically screamed.

"He stormed out of his meeting as soon as he heard you went into labor. He'll be here soon."

As if on cue, the doors flew open at that very moment. "Where is she?! Baa-chan, Shizune-chan, where is my wife?!"

"Calm down brat! Sakura's fine! She's doing great and now that you're here you can be here for her."

Naruto saw his wife on the hospital bed as she inhaled another deep breathe before making another painful push. "AAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

"Sakura!" Naurto practically teleported over to her bedside and grabbed her hand. "Sakura! Its okay, I'm right here! I'm not going to leave you honey; it'll all be over soon-AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Now it was the father's turn to scream as his wife squeezed his hand, which, coupled with the monster strength she inherited from her master, almost broke the bones in his hand.

"YOU! YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU ARE NEVER TOUCHING ME AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME! THIS IS YOUR BABY NARUTO…**GET IT OUT!"**

Naruto couldn't do a damned thing but take the verbal abuse and offer all the words of comfort he could; it was a pregnant Sakura, what retort could he possibly make anyway?

For hours Sakura was forced to endure the pain, and Naruto was forced to endure the pain she was giving him; thank goodness Shizune was there to help heal his wounds, since Tsunade was too busy with other things at the moment. This kept going until finally…

"There, I see it! I see the head! Come on Sakura, just a little more! I swear, your baby's almost here! Now PUSH!"

"You hear that Sakura? Our baby's almost her! You're almost a mother and I'm almost a father! Just a little bit more and we can all be a family."

Sakura looked over at her husband, love and compassion in his eyes. It was enough to stir the exhausted young woman to keep going. 'We are almost a family,' she thought to herself. 'Yes, I want this, more than anything I want this. I _want_ a family!'

And so she pushed again, and again, and again, until, at long last…

"That's it Sakura, it's almost over! One more, just one more!"

"**AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"**

A loud cry echoed through the hospital room, but it was not from the mother…It was a newborn baby's cry.

"Shizune! Hot water, NOW! And bring a blanket too!"

"Yes m'lady!"

Time seemed to stand still for the Orange Hokage. Nine months of waiting, all for this moment, the moment when he would finally be blessed with the thing he has always wanted more than anything else in the world."

"Shinachiku…you're here…You're really here." Naruto allowed tears of joy to fall down his face as his eyes never left the tiny, crying infant with blonde hair and green eyes.

He wiped away his tears and looked up to the sky, "Dad…Mom…are you seeing this? Today, your son is a father."

"Yes Naruto," Tsunade said as she held the child in her arms, now wrapped in a soft red blanket as it continued to cry. "You are the father to a handsome baby boy."

"He's beautiful," Shizune said.

"Shinachiku…" Naruto tried to reach out to the child as Tsunade walked passed him.

"HANDS OFF!" Naruto pulled his hand back in confusion. "Mother first, father second."

"O…kay." Again, what could Naruto say? Sakura deserved to see their son first.

Tsunade stood at her bedside, "Sakura?" The woman was so exhausted that she thought she might pass out, but her master's voice immediately caught her attention. "There is someone here who wants to meet you."

The Slug Sannin put the crying bundle in the mother's arms. There was no use stopping the tears of joy from falling.

"Shinachiku…At last we meet. My name is Sakura…I'm your mother."

She felt a hand on her shoulder as her husband leaned in next to her.

"And my name is Naruto…I'm your father."

The boy's crying seemed to calm down as he just started cooing and giggling, making the parent's both smile with pride.

"Sakura," Naruto started, "I'm so proud of you. You've made me the luckiest man in the world today. I love you so much."

"I love you too Naruto." With that both parents shared a soft yet passionate kiss, little Shinachiku still in his mother's arms…

* * *

><p>Naruto smiled warmly as he thought back to that day. It was hard to imagine that it had been twelve years already. It felt like just yesterday he was taking his son to the Academy for the first time, then after school giving him private lessons about everything he had learned during his youth. And now…now he was about to let him go to see the real world for the first time.<p>

He had yet another flashback; this time to a conversation he had with his wife last night.

* * *

><p>Naruto and Sakura were getting ready for bed. After Sasuke's visit they decided to help themselves to a drink; they both felt they needed it. And so Naruto went down to the basement level and scanned through the wine cellar. He picked out a bottle of Chardonnay, seven years old, lucky number, and a good year to boot. The parent's toasted themselves to their son's pending adventure. It was too late to do much now, but tomorrow night they would give their son a proper farewell, a night of family fun before his big trip. For now though, it was time to get some rest.<p>

"Hey Naruto?" Sakura asked after she changed into her pajamas.

"Yeah? What is it Sakura?"

"About Shinachiku…d-did we do the right thing?"

"I think so. Did you see the look on his face? This means a lot to him."

"He's never been on a mission like this before. What if he runs into a rogue ninja? Or a wild animal? Or this new enemy Sasuke talked about, whoever they are? Or-"

"Sakura, he's a big boy now. He knows what he's doing. He's smart, strong, we've both taught him everything we know. And after his speech today, he convinced me. He can do this."

Sakura felt better now. "How is it that you can always guess the right thing to say to make me feel better."

"It's just a part of being a good husband, I guess."

"It's funny…"

"What is?"

"When I told my parents about our mission to the Land of Waves, my mom nagged and worried about me all night, I was afraid that she wouldn't let me go at all. I was an ungrateful brat back then, I thought she was just being annoying, worrying about everything I did and second guessing me every chance she got. Well now look at me, I'm a mom myself and I'm second guessing my own son. It's only now that I understand that she was just doing that because she loved me. I guess it's pretty silly to finally realize something so obvious so late in life, huh?"

"No, no it's not silly at all. Sometimes it's only years later, when we are on our own and living our own lives, that we realize how much like our parents we really are. Look at me, I just lived my life as myself: hyperactive, eager, short-tempered, compassionate. I didn't know until I was sixteen how much of that I got from my own mom."

"Hmmm…So what's the plan for tomorrow?"

"Well, first thing I'll need to do is clear this mission with the elders, then I'll have to tell Konohamaru that his student is going on a potential A-rank mission without him; not looking forward to that. Usual paperwork from there. Shinachiku will need to pack his stuff for his trip. I figure that after work we can have a nice dinner, after that-" Naruto thought for a moment. "After that we'll just see where it goes. We could all go swim in the pool, use the hot tub, play a few games, watch a movie in the entertainment room, use the hot spring, whatever sounds fun!"

Sakura smiled warmly, "Okay, we'll just let the day play itself out then. I could pick up some steaks and fish for dinner, and we can pull the rest from the pantry."

"Yum, sounds good! Say, do we have any desserts in stock? Ice cream, cake, pies-"

"You don't keep desserts in the pantry, idiot! Especially not ice cream, it'll melt."

"…Oh yeah."

Sakura sighed, "How can a full grown man with so much wisdom _still_ be that same knuckleheaded kid at the same time?"

"Well, it's that knucklehead who you fell in love with, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is." Sakura kissed her husband. "Come on, finish getting ready for bed."

Naruto got up from the bed and took his shirt off, causing his wife to blush. Nearly twelve years of marriage and even now, getting a glimpse of his bare chest, ripped as if it was carved out of marble, could still get her excited.

The blonde noticed her flustered expression and smirked. "What, see something you like?"

"Oh yeah…" Her eyes were slightly glossed over and a slight bit of drool dripped from her mouth.

Naruto kept changing until he was clad only in his boxers, Sakura staring at him the entire time.

"No, no, no, this just won't due," Naruto said with bedroom eyes. "It's not fair that my wife should get to stare at me in my underwear, yet I can't see her in her's."

Sakura caught onto his little game and gave one of her foxy looks that would always drive him wild. "Who says I'm wearing any?"

Naruto didn't need any further invitation and immediately made a few hand signs.

"SILENCING JUTSU!"

An invisible shield surrounded their master bedroom, that way the kids would get plenty of sleep tonight. The two lovers learned their lesson after that embarrassing mistake they made that magical night.

Naruto walked over to his wife and claimed her lips with his own. Within moments the remainder of their clothes lay scattered on the floor…

* * *

><p>Naruto grinned like an idiot at the memory of last night. 'Yep.' he thought to himself. 'I really am the luckiest man in the world!'<p>

"Screw it," he said. "I've got an evening to plan with my family, so let's get all this paperwork over with. SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

Three clones of the orange-clad ninja appeared. "You guys know what to do, so let's get to work."

* * *

><p>At the Uzumaki house (or mansion, really), Shinachiku was packing his scrolls with all the gear he thought he would need for his first big mission. He was probably overpacking, but he figured it was better to be over prepared than under prepared. After putting away several things in his back pack, he went over a checklist he made up.<p>

"Okay…Plenty of kunai check! Shuriken check! Katana check! Nunchakus check! Bo staff check! Twin sai check! Weighted training cloths check! Food pills check! Food rashens check! Wallet check! Laptop with headphones and charger check! Spare scrolls check! Journal and pen check! Hmmm…well, I guess that's everything! SEAL!"

All of Shinachiku's gear was packed up into the scrolls for easy transport.

"Oh wait! I almost forget!"

The boy went over to his bookshelf and picked out a single novel from his collection: _The Tale of Naruto_. It was his father's book, which he had read at least twenty times cover to cover and still never got sick of it. Growing up Shinachiku and his friends could never resist asking his dad to tell them about his adventures, his friends always finding his story the most interesting out of all the adults they interacted with. While Naruto was always happy to indulge them, it got to the point that he wished he could just share it with everyone. Then Naruto remembered Master Jiraiya's first novel, _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja_, and how autobiographical it seemed to him; hell, his father named him after the main character in that book!

When Naruto told his friends that he was going to be writing the book, he spoke to all of them about it first, as he wanted to remain as truthful as possible, meaning that he had to ask a lot of people's permission first. Virtually all of them did, with the expectation that it would be essentially just an autobiography. Instead, what he had published was an absolute opus, an epic chronicling the journey of a young boy nobody wanted and all feared, into the most respected ninja of his generation and a true hero. The stories chronicled in the book were amazing enough, but the sheer amount of detail he crammed in was astounding. That's because the main body of the book was followed with at least a hundred pages of appendices that provided all the extra background and detail and history that he could not make room for in the main body of the story. It had taken Naruto (or Naruto's clones when he had to do Hokage work at the same time) several years to complete his epic work.

The book was a massive hit when it came out, many stores across all the shinobi nations selling out all their copies on the first day, thanks largely to Naruto's celebrity status. Within Konoha, the release of the book was a phenomenon; practically everyone bought a copy, including all of Naruto's closest friends. But no one expected the story to be as good as it was. Many of Naruto's friends thought the knew him well, but the book revealed things about him they could have never guessed before; in particular, the story about the night his parent's died and the nine-tails was sealed within him broke the hearts of nearly everyone who read it. Needless to say, the reviews were very good.

Some of the people Naruto mentioned in his book even saw praise after it was published; many of Naruto's friends commended for their own heroic deeds that Naruto had crossed paths with. The love story between him and his wife was praised for its maturity and development from rocky beginnings into a bond stronger than words can ever describe. On the other hand, other people were not so lucky, such as Sasuke who, despite Naruto's promise and best efforts to create as much sympathy for him as possible, nevertheless received a lot of backlash for many of his past actions.

Shinachiku grabbed his copy and put it in a small scroll. "No way that I'm leaving without this!"

"Onii-chan?"

Shinachiku looked up to see his little sister standing in his doorway.

"Oh hi Hanami, is something wrong?"

"No, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"Well…I don't know how long you and Uncle Sasuke are going to be gone. What if you don't come back? What if I never see you again? What if you die out there or-" Hanami couldn't go on any further as she broke into tears at the thought of loosing her big brother.

Shinachiku didn't hesitate to dash over to her and wrap her in a warm hug. "Hey, don't cry; I'll be fine."

"I don't know what I'd do without you, onii-chan…"

"You'll never lose me. I promise that I'll come back to you."

Hanami still couldn't stop crying. 'Well,' Shinachiku thought, 'there's still one thing that never fails."

And so, the young Uzumaki boy, with his sister still in his arms, started to sing.

_Listen, baby_  
><em>Ain't no mountain high<em>  
><em>Ain't no valley low<em>  
><em>Ain't no river wide enough, baby<em>

_If you need me, call me_  
><em>No matter where you are<em>  
><em>No matter how far<em>  
><em>Just call my name<em>  
><em>I'll be there in a hurry<em>  
><em>You don't have to worry<em>

_'Cause baby,_  
><em>There ain't no mountain high enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no valley low enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no river wide enough<em>  
><em>To keep me from getting to you<em>

_Remember the day_  
><em>I set you free<em>  
><em>I told you<em>  
><em>You could always count on me<em>  
><em>From that day on I made a vow<em>  
><em>I'll be there when you want me<em>  
><em>Some way, some how<em>

_'Cause baby,_  
><em>There ain't no mountain high enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no valley low enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no river wide enough<em>  
><em>To keep me from getting to you<em>

_No wind, no rain_

_My love is alive_  
><em>Way down in my heart<em>  
><em>Although we are miles apart<em>  
><em>If you ever need a helping hand<em>  
><em>I'll be there on the double<em>  
><em>As fast as I can<em>

_Don't you know that_  
><em>There ain't no mountain high enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no valley low enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no river wide enough<em>  
><em>To keep me from getting to you<em>

_Don't you know that_  
><em>There ain't no mountain high enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no valley low enough<em>  
><em>Ain't no river wide enough<em>

_To keep me from getting to you_

Hanami's tears stopped as she looked up at her brother with a warm smile. She returned the hug he was giving her. "I love you onii-chan."

"I love you too imouto. Now come on, mom and dad should be home soon and I hear we're all going to have fun tonight."

* * *

><p>"Kids, we're home!" Sakura called as she and her husband walked through the door.<p>

The kids ran into the front hall to greet their parents.

"So," Naruto said, "who's hungry? Your mother and I are barbecuing steak and fish tonight."

"Yay!" both kids said as their mother went into the pantry and their father fired up the outside grill.

The pantry was fairly large, large enough to walk in and pick the items you want from the shelves. Meats, canned goods, vegetables, fruits, bread, all of it was there. Guests who came to visit their home were often jealous…well, okay they were jealous of their entire house, but the pantry was one of those things to be sure.

"Let's see…whole grain rice would go great with the fish…broccoli and carrots are always good, even if the kids hate them…I could do something with that pasta up there…and I'll pour some root beer on ice. That'll keep those three bottomless pits full until dessert at least."

About thirty minutes later the dinner table was lined with delicious food as Sakura called the kids to dinner and Naruto brought the cooked steak and fish from the grill outside.

"Alright kids, this is the last home cooked meal Shinachiku is going to have before he goes off with Uncle Sasuke tomorrow, so let's dig in!"

The family ate all of their food with enthusiasm. The kids did have to be goaded by their mother to eat their vegetables, but the pasta was good enough that they got over it, and the root beer helped wash everything down.

The steak and fish itself was delicious. Filet mignon, medium cooked, and breaded tilapia were the main course. Who knew that Naruto, a guy who ate nothing but ramen for most of his childhood, could learn to be such a good cook? Although to be fair Sakura always was too…although she did once have to change her recipe for food pills. When dinner was done, everyone's stomachs felt full and content…but then…

"So, anyone still hungry?" Naruto asked that question to the kids and their groans implied that they were full. "No? Okay then…I guess no one wants cake and ice cream tonight?"

"NO!" Both kids yelled at their dad for daring to cheat them out of sweets.

Naruto smiled sarcastically. "That's what I thought."

Sakura brought in the chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream; of course, the kid's devoured it in minutes. You'd almost forget that they had just had such a huge dinner minutes earlier. The parent's both laughed at their enthusiastic eating.

After dessert, Naruto turned to his son. "So Shinachiku, since you're the one who going on the big trip tomorrow, why don't you decide what you'd like to do tonight?"

Shinachiku only thought about it for a moment, "Let's get in the pool!"

"Wait thirty minutes first!" Sakura demanded; she was both a mother and a doctor after all.

"Umm…" Shinachiku thought for a moment before a evil grin came on his face. "Hey dad, how about a game of chess?"

"Uh-uh! No way! Not after last time!"

"Oh come on dad, I promise I'll go easy on you. What's the matter…_chicken_?"

'Did he just-Oh that's it!' "Okay kid, you're on! But mark my words you are not outsmarting me this time!"

_Thirty minutes later…_

"Check mate!"

"Damn it! I thought you said you'd go easy on me?"

"I did dad, it's not my fault if you lost anyway."

"Okay, okay you two, calm down. I think it's been long enough now, so why don't we all get changed and get in the pool?" Sakura suggested.

"YAY!" Hanami cheered as she ran up to her room, her brother following to his own room.

* * *

><p>Minutes later the kids went outside, Shinachiku in his green swimming trunks and Hanami in her cute one-piece suit. Both kids practically dived into the pool and started playing around.<p>

"Hey you two be careful!" There father has come out to check on them, dressed only in his orange swim trunks.

"Sorry if I took too long." Naruto turned to the source of the voice and stopped in his tracks. Coming out the back door into the garden/pool area was his wife, dressed only in her red string bikini, the bottom half hugging her thighs and her voluptuous rear end that he loved so much, and her top half emphasizing her low C-cup breasts that had _finally_ grown in by the time she and Naruto started dating; like Lady Tsunade, she was a late bloomer. She may be a career woman and a mother, but like her husband she was still a ninja and made sure to take good care of her body. Besides, be damned if she was just going to let Ino or Hinata outclass her so easily.

"Wow mommy, you look pretty!" said Hanami.

"Yes…yes she does…" Naruto could only stare, no matter how many times he got a look at her body, clothed or unclothed, he was always in awe.

"Hey Romeo, you see anything you like?" Sakura smirked.

"Yep, and if you don't mind I think I'll just help myself." Naruto stole a short but loving kiss from his wife as she wrapped her arms around him. They lost track of time for a moment until a splash of water hit them.

"Hey, get a room you two!"

Both parents separated and blushed madly at both the splashing and their son's rude comment.

"Oh you're gonna get it now young man!"

Soon the parents joined their kids in the pool, both of them splashing their son in mock retaliation. For the next half an hour at least they all played around in the water, father and son having a swimming race, mother and daughter splashing each other playfully, there was even a short game of water polo.

After a while they all got out and dried off, sitting on the lounge chairs by the pool.

"Hey Shina-chan," Hanabi said, "Sing us a song please!"

"What, but I already sang to you earlier."

"Yeah, but now mommy and daddy can hear it too, so _please_?" She looked at him with the bloody sad puppy face.

'Damn the sad puppy face!' "Alright, alright; any requests?"

"How about 'Hooked on a Feeling?'" the boy's father suggested.

"No, no, no; how about 'Don't Stop Believing?'" his sister suggested.

"I always thought it was adorable when you sang 'Rockin' Robin' for the Academy talent show when you were Hanabi's age. I know all the girls in your class loved it too," his mother said; Shinachiku blushing a bit at that last remark.

"Okay, I've got it. This is a song I found in one of the books in our library, it's about this fictional saga about a bunch of people going on a quest to get back their kingdom and treasure and a priceless gem that they lost years before to a fire breathing dragon. And since Uncle Sasuke is sort of taking me on a treasure hunt tomorrow, I guess it's appropriate."

"Oooh, that sounds interesting," Sakura said. "Go ahead sweetie, we're listening."

Shinachiku cleared his throat and then started the song.

_Far over the Misty Mountains rise  
>Leave us standing upon the height<br>What was before we see once more  
>Is our kingdom a distant light<em>

_Fiery mountain beneath the moon  
>The words unspoken, we'll be there soon<br>For home a song that echoes on  
>And all who find us will know the tune<em>

_Some folk we never forget  
>Some kind we never forgive<br>Haven't seen the back of us yet  
>We'll fight as long as we live<em>

_All eyes on the hidden door  
>To the Lonely Mountain born<br>We'll ride in the gathering storm  
>Until we get our long forgotten gold<em>

_We lay under the Misty Mountains cold  
>In slumbers deep, and dreams of gold<br>We must awake, our lives to make  
>And in the darkness a torch we hold<em>

_From long ago when lanterns burned  
>Until this day our hearts have yearned<br>Her fate unknown, the Arkenstone  
>What was stolen must be returned<em>

_We must awake and make the day  
>To find a song for heart and soul<em>

_Some folk we never forget  
>Some kind we never forgive<br>Haven't seen the end of it yet  
>We'll fight as long as we live<em>

_All eyes on the hidden door  
>To the Lonely Mountain born<br>We'll ride in the gathering storm  
>Till we get our long forgotten gold<em>

_Far away the Misty Mountain's cold._

The family was in awe at what they had just heard. It sounded so beautiful and so epic, and yet it also served as a glaring reminder of the perilous adventure that their son was going to embark on tomorrow. Hanabi was all smiles, as usual, while Sakura had tears in her eyes every time she got to hear her son's beautiful singing voice. Naruto, however, had entirely different thoughts on his mind.

'Right,' the Hokage thought to himself, 'It's time.'

"Okay kids, it's been fun, but I think we should all start getting ready for bed. You have a big day tomorrow Shinachiku," Sakura said with authority.

"Yes mom."

As the four walked back into the house, Naruto put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Just a second Shinachiku; there is something I want to give you. Meet me in the dojo in five minutes."

* * *

><p>Five minutes later the boy, back in his regular clothes, was in the family's private training dojo where his father was already waiting for him in his regular clothes again, and in his arms was a large scroll.<p>

"Son, do you know what this is?"

"It's a scroll."

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "Yes, but can you guess what it's for?"

The boy could only shrug his shoulders.

"This is a summoning contract. Someone who signs their name on it in their own blood will enter a contract with the great toads of Mount Myōboku. This will allow the signer to use the summoning jutsu to call forth any of the toads to come to their aid if they are in need."

Shinachiku was getting excited now. "You mean like you can summon Gamabunta and Gamakichi?"

"Exactly. My sensei, Master Jiraiya, signed this contract a long time ago, and he later passed it to your grandfather to sign as well, and then to me when I was your age…Now, I think it's time for you to sign as well."

"Wow! Really?!" The boy couldn't believe it; he was about to get his very own summons, just like his dad, mom, and even his Uncle Sasuke.

"That's right! As your father I want to be sure you are ready for anything, so now is as good a time as any." Naruto unrolled the scroll at his son's feet. "Now bite your thumb and sign your name, then place your fingerprints. That's it."

Shinachiku did just what his father said; the contract was signed and completed.

"Congratulations Shina. Now, to use the summoning jutsu, all you need to do is offer more blood on the same hand you signed with, mold your chakra with hand seals and plant your hand on the spot where you want to summon the toad at. The amount of chakra you put into the technique determines the power of the toad you summon. Now it wasn't easy for me the first time, I started out only being able to summon tadpoles for goodness sake. So don't feel bad if you're not able to-"

"SUMMONING JUTSU!"

A puff of smoke appeared and after it cleared a toad as tall as the boy himself appeared.

"Hey, I'm Gamasenshi, what do want?"

Naruto was very discouraged at how easy it was for his son to summon a powerful toad on his first try. "It's alright, my name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I was just teaching my son how to summon for the first time."

"So, you're the great Naruto Uzumaki; my father, Gamakichi, is always telling me about you." The giant toad turned his attention to the blonde-haired boy. "I would be honored to serve you in the future, honorable son."

"Uhhh…Thanks." That was all Shinachiku could say as the toad puffed away again.

"Okay kiddo, its time for bed, we need to be up early in the morning to see you off tomorrow."

"Right dad!"

As the two left the dojo Naruto remembered something amusing. "By the way, did you know that when your mother was just a girl she used to have ranidaphobia?"

"Rani-_what?_"

"A fear of frogs."

"NO WAY! She has a _slug_ contract for crying out loud!"

* * *

><p>The morning finally came. The Uzumaki family was all at the village gate as they waited for the Uchiha. As it turned out, many of their friends wanted to be there to see him off as well. Ino and Sai were there with their son Inojin, as were Shikamaru and Temari and their son Shikadai, Chōji and Karui and their daughter Chōchō, Lee and Tenten and their son Burandon, Kiba and Hinata and their son Ōkami and daughter Tsuki, and Shino and his son Bagu. Konohamaru wanted to be there to see his student off, and even Kakashi and Tsunade were there.<p>

"Man, why do you always have all the luck?" Ōkami complained.

"Because he is the Hokage's son," Inojin responded.

"Wise ass."

"Why would you ever want to go on this crazy mission anyway; searching some all-powerful stone created by Kaguya sounds pretty troublesome to me?" Shikadai asked.

"I don't know, it sounds kind of fun to me; a good chance to get out and eat some exotic foods," Chōchō said.

"Indeed, Shinachiku's flames of youth will carry him to victory in this adventure," Burandon said with his usual overabundance of passion and…well, youthfulness.

"Uh…thanks you guys," Shinachiku said, "I'll be fine."

"Shinachiku," Konohamaru called out to his student, "I have done my best to turn you into a great shinobi, and I have taught you everything I know. Now is your chance to put all that I, your parents, and their friends have taught you to do some real good for the world. Remember all that we have taught you and you will do great. But know that no matter what happens we are all proud of you."

Shinachiku bowed to his master, "Arigato sensei."

"You're your mother's son, you're going to do great," said Ino.

"Indeed," Sai agreed.

"Go get'em kiddo!" Kiba said enthusiastically.

"Yes, you are a strong and excellent shinobi like your father; you can do this. We all believe in you," Hinata told the boy with pride.

"Arigato Aunt Hinata," Shinachiku said with gratitude, "arigato everyone."

Shikamaru walked over to Naruto because he wanted a private word with him. "Hey, are you really sure about this?"

"I have faith in him."

"It's not your son I'm concerned about. It's Sasuke."

"Excuse me?"

"He is so rarely here in the village, and then suddenly he appears one day and asks to take your son on a mission to find this all-powerful gem we've never heard of before, against an enemy that he doesn't even know the identity of…And _none_ of this makes you suspicious?"

"Sasuke's past is behind him. He's had years to prove himself to our village and he hasn't let me down yet."

"Let's hope you're right."

At that point Sasuke finally arrived. Most of the group was pleased to see him, but Shikamaru could only eye him suspiciously.

"Morning Sasuke," Naruto said.

"Morning dobe." He turned to the boy, "You ready to go kid?"

"I'm ready Uncle Sasuke! Let's go get that Chakra Gem!"

"Goodbye onii-chan," Hanabi gave him a goodbye hug which her brother returned.

"Thanks sis, I'll be back, I promise."

"Your father and I are so proud of you for doing this," Sakura told her son, "It feels like just yesterday that I was changing your diapers and taking you to your first day at the Academy. Now look at you, you're already becoming a man."

"Thank you mom."

Sakura couldn't fight it; she pulled her son into one last, desperate hug. It was Tsunade, her old sensei, who put her hand on her shoulder and gave her a comforting smile when she looked up at her. Sakura took that as a sign to let him go and dry the tears that were just barely starting to form.

"Good luck kid, I wish you the best out there," Tsunade told him.

"Yes, we both do," Kakashi concurred.

"Thanks guys." Shinachiku turned to one last person, his father. "Well, I guess this is it."

"Yeah, it is." Naruto reached out with his bandaged prosthetic hand and put it on his son's shoulder. "This is where your story begins son, but that story is whatever you make it, so make it a good one!"

The boy smiled with pride, "I will dad!"

"Come on," Sasuke interrupted, "we need to get moving."

"Hai!"

As the two began walking out, Sasuke gave one last look and Naruto; no words were said, but Sasuke knew what the Orange Hokage was thinking. 'Don't worry dobe, I'll bring him back alive.'

With that, the two ninjas left the village and Shinachiku Uzumaki began his very first adventure…

…But several feet away, a mysterious figure was hiding in the shadows watching the entire scene. When the two ninja left, he turned to a confidant that was next to him.

"Send word, Uchiha has taken the boy with him just as expected. It will soon be time to come out of the shadows and for our plans to at last come to fruition. Revolution is at hand…_Hail Taka._

* * *

><p>Well, what did you think?<p>

Let's go over the references this chapter. First of all, Naruto's book, which I have referenced several time by this point, is essentially the Naruto universe's answer to "The Lord of the Rings," an epic of immense scale and so detailed that he needed to write appendices just to get all of the back story, history and detail out to his audience.

You may have noticed that as Shinachiku was packing up weapons to bring with him on his mission, he picked out a katana, nunchakus, a bo staff, and sais, this was obviously my homage to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The flashback scene of Shinachiku's birth was meant to have direct parallels to Naruto's own birth, particularly the way Tsunade does not allow Naruto to hold his son before Sakura does, much like how Biwako did with Minato.

I named Gamakichi's son Gamasenshi, "senshi" is Japanese for "warrior."

Naruto's referencing Sakura once having ranidaphobia (fear of frogs) was something that was established in the Land of Rice Fields filler arc from the original anime. I thought it was a funny idea, so I decided to bring it up, but being married to the Toad Sage's student she obviously would have gotten over it.

In order to make this story work, I needed to make up my own version of some of their Konoha 11's kids, which meant coming up with some original names. Being short on ideas, I settled for using puns. Burandon is the Japanese spelling of Brandon, a blatant reference to the late Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, the inspiration for both Lee and Guy. Ōkami is Japanese for "wolf," Tsuki is Japanese for "moon," and Bagu is Japanese for "bug."

Naruto's last words of advise to his son were paraphrased based on Doc Brown's last words of advice to Marty and Jennifer at the end of "Back to the Future, Part III."

Lastly, the songs Shinachiku sings in this chapter. The first song is "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. I had the way it was used at the end of _Guardians of the Galaxy_ on my mind. The second song is "Song of the Lonely Mountain" by Neil Finn. I really liked this song from _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey_ and wanted an excuse to use it, so I used the treasure hunt text of the song as a similarity to what Shinachiku is about to go through.

I am open for suggestions for other songs that I can use if future chapters, my only rule is no rap of hip hop.

Well, that's all I've got. Please read, favorite and subscribe; Until next time!


	6. Chapter 6--The Missing-Nin with a Mouth

Hey guys, thesaiyanjedi is back! I know, I'm really sorry that I've been gone for so long, but now that the adventure is officially starting, I needed to stop and decide what direction I wanted it to take. I did make time to hammer out a Christmas one-shot called "A NaruSaku Family Christmas," which if any of you guys could check out and provide me some feedback, I'd really appreciate it. It is set in the same universe as "Shinachiku's First Adventure," but several years before this story, and it's sort of just a day-in-the-life of Naruto, Sakura and the kids during Christmas.

I also want to thank you all for your support and your patience with this story. In response to Czar Joseph's comment about my TMNT reference from last time, I honestly did it just as a fun little joke; I did not know about ChaosMagemon's own story "Teenage Jinchūriki Shinobi", so I swear it was not meant as a ripoff.

As for one of my guest's comments about all my talk about Naruto and Sakura's sex life, I am planning on keeping it at the running gag level for the time being, but I am not ruling out the possibility of a lemon in future, if not here than in another story. I just found it a funny idea that snowballed from there. Naruto is, as we all know, a natural pervert (look at the men who trained him for goodness sake) and Sakura, even if she'd never admit it, is a closet pervert herself (as Konohamaru proved), and I wrote that they dated for _five years_ before getting engaged, even moving in together by at least their third or fourth year. That is a _long_ for two people to agree to be abstinent, so after their engagement was finally made they both said "Screw it, no more waiting," and went at it like crazy…not learning until later that all of their party guests heard _everything_ they did throughout the night!

At this point, I am actively trying to make you question Sasuke, especially as things pan out later, so be alert.

But most important of all, I want to issue a heads-up to my readers about this chapter because I am introducing a new character into the story that is based heavily on a very popular character from Marvel Comics. The title of the chapter pretty much gives it away, but in case it doesn't, trust me, you'll get it once he shows up.

Okay, with all of that said on with the story!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Missing-Nin with the Mouth<strong>

Sasuke and Shinachiku have been traveling for nearly a day now, and the pair was making good time. Leaping from tree to tree, Sasuke was impressed at the boy's ability to keep up with a Jōnin-level Leaf Ninja like himself. Then again, giving that this boy has been trained by Naruto, Sakura, Konohamaru, and some spare lessons here and there from many of their friends, maybe it wasn't a surprise.

'Actually,' Sasuke thought to himself, 'this kid really has the makings of something special. He has an abnormally large charka reserve like his dad, and above average chakra control like his mom. He's got his dad's power and stamina and his mom's strength and brains. Not a bad mix of genes all things considered.'

Shinachiku was focused on the adult ninja in front of him as he leaped through the tree tops. He still could not believe that he was here, doing a mission this important and without his sensei. 'I wonder what I'm going to run into out here. We still don't know much of anything about this enemy, whoever they are. I may be the Hokage's son and all, but I'm still just a Genin for God's sake! I do escort missions and recover people's lost possessions. I'm not expected to take out Jōnin-level missing-nin all on my own! How do I know for sure that I'm ready-?'

"Shinachiku!" The boy's self-doubting thoughts were interrupted at the sound of Sasuke's voice. "Stay focused kid, you're falling behind!"

"Gomen Sasuke-sensei."

"And don't call me that either. I'm your supervisor for this mission and your godfather; I'm not your teacher. You have enough of those back home already."

Shinachiku hung his head. "Gomen."

After another couple of hours of running Sasuke could sense that the boy was becoming fatigued. He noticed that it was becoming dark out, so he figured that now was as good a time as any to take a rest for the day.

"Hey kid, there's a small village near by with an inn where we can stay for the night. We'll rest up then head back out tomorrow morning."

"Hai, Uncle Sasuke!"

They made it to the village within fifteen minutes. It was a very small, humble kind of place that traders and the like visit, or tourists or other ninja traveling from one hidden village to the next.

The inn that they were staying at reflected this. It was small, homely, offered comfortable enough living space for a limited number of people, and even served complementary breakfast. Sasuke took it upon himself to check both of them in.

"Excuse me ma'am?"

The innkeeper, an elderly woman seemingly in her late fifties to mid sixties, turned around from where she was working to address her customer.

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"I'd like a room for two please, overnight stay only."

The woman noticed Shinachiku standing next to him. "Is that boy there your son?"

"What? No, he's not. Well…technically he's my _godson_, but we're on a mission from our village and we just need to catch some rest for the night."

"Oh, alright then sir, we get shinobi passing by here on business a lot." The woman got out her register to ring them up. "Can I have your name please?"

"Sasuke Uchiha."

The woman looked up at her guest once again in shock. "Wait, Sasuke Uchiha? _The_ Sasuke Uchiha? I've heard of you!"

'Oh terrific!' Sasuke thought to himself in annoyance, 'Just what I fucking need, yet another damned annoying fangirl, an _elderly_ one no less!' He figured he might as well play along. "Yes, I'm-"

"Aren't you that Konoha boy that betrayed his village to join Orochimaru just to get revenge on your own brother? And the one who joined the Akatsuki to help hunt down the jinchūriki? And the one who plotted to wipe out his own village even after he killed his brother? And then plotted to wipe out the shinobi order altogether by killing all of the Kage's and entrapping the tailed beasts?"

Sasuke was left speechless for a few seconds. "Uh, ma'am, I'm not sure where you heard so much about me-"

"I read all about you in Naruto Uzumaki's book."

'Damn it Naruto!' Sasuke thought in anger, 'You and your stupid book! I warned you what it would do to me! But _noooo_, you _had_ to tell people the truth, didn't you?!'

"Uh…yeah, that's me. And this is my godson, Shinachiku Uzumaki."

The boy bowed his head in respect, even if the woman's listing off of his godfather's numerous war crimes did make him feel a little…awkward.

"Wait, Shinachiku Uzumaki? As is Naruto and Sakura's son?"

"Yes I am ma'am." Shinachiku said with respect.

"Well why didn't you say so?! For the Hokage's son, I'd be happy to give you any room in the inn, on the house."

Sasuke was stunned…and a little bit discouraged. "Oh…okay then." 'What the hell? I say my name and I'm treated like trash, despite everything I've done to make amends since then. Meanwhile this kid whose never been on a real mission before gets treated like a prince.'

After they settled inside their room, Shinachiku was unpacking for the night as a question popped into his head.

"Hey Uncle Sasuke?"

"Yeah, what?"

"How is it that you ever became a Jōnin? You defected from the village when you were a boy and didn't get reformed until after the war."

"I had to take the Chūnin exams and get recommendations for Jōnin appointment, same as everyone else."

"Yeah, but weren't you a bit…err, _old_ to be taking the Chūnin exams by the time the war ended?"

Sasuke frowned at him rudely. "It couldn't be helped. Like you said I deserted the village and after that I needed to rebuild my reputation from the ground up. Kakashi and your dad had to fight to get me pardoned and keep me from serving a jail sentence for the rest of my life and for me to get my ninja status reinstated. There was no way they were going to get me an undeserved promotion as well."

"But, my dad-"

"Your dad was a proven war hero who had worked long and hard to earn the love of his village and the entire shinobi world. I was a traitor and a criminal who committed countless war crimes and then had a heel face turn right as the war started…And then tried to bring the entire shinobi order down again…yeah. Anyway, the point is that your dad had earned his promotion that day…"

* * *

><p>It was soon after the war, and Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi were called into Tsunade's office. Tsunade was sitting at her desk with Shizune standing at her side, Tonton in her arms.<p>

"Thank you all for coming. I brought you here because I have an important announcement to make, and I wanted the three of you to be the first to hear it." She paused for a moment before continuing. "As you know, I have done my best to serve this village as it's leader ever since Naruto here helped show me the meaning of being Hokage."

Tsunade gave a smiling glance at Naruto, causing the blonde to blush. He couldn't see it, but Sakura was smiling at him too.

"I have seen a lot of things in my life; I've lived through two wars, seen many of my loved ones die, and even though I don't look it, I feel like this job has aged me even more than I already was." Everyone was about to object, particularly Sakura. "Don't start, you all know it's true! Anyway, all of those experiences really make one think about life and about the future. Therefore, I have come to a decision…" Tsunade paused again, "…I have decided to retire as Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village."

This earned gasps from everyone in the room.

"Lady Tsunade, you can't! This village needs you!"

"Sakura, the times are changing. We've done our best to guide the new generation to prominence, and the time is upon us when that generation will replace us completely."

"So who's gonna take your place?" Naruto asked with nervous hope in his eyes.

"After careful consideration…I've decided that Kakashi will be taking my place."

Everyone let out a gasp in surprise and their head's all snapped towards the stunned masked Jōnin.

"ME?!" Kakashi's one visible eye was practically bugging out of it's socket. He couldn't believe this; even worse, he was feeling _really_ bad for his student.

"Yes Kakashi you. You have good skills in politics, and you're reputation is well known around the shinobi world; not to mention you're one of the strongest Jōnin this village has to offer."

Tsunade had to frown at what she was about to say next. She turned to the orange-clad boy standing before her. "Naruto, I know you must be disappointed, and believe me if I could recommend you as my successor, I would…but the truth is that you still need to improve your political skills before you can be Hokage. You've proven yourself a hero and a warrior, but you still need to show us you're a leader."

Everyone turned to Naruto, who for a moment had a flash of disappointment in his eyes. But then he got a massive grin on his face.

"Don't worry about it Baa-chan, I understand. Congratulations Kakashi sensei!" Naruto smiled and bowed to his teacher.

'Wow, he's taking this very well.' Kakashi thought as he looked at his student. 'Of course, he always has been an expert at hiding behind a mask.'

'Naruto…' Sakura felt bad, _really_ bad for her friend. All his life he has wanted to become Hokage; he has trained for years to reach this moment…only to have it shot down again. She could read the boy like a book; she knew when he was lying. She knew he hid his pain behind a mask. Hell, she was the cause of some of that pain…she felt even worse about that part.

"Naruto, it's okay to be upset; Lady Tsunade is only doing what she feels is best for the village. It's nothing personal."

"It's okay Sakura, really. I was disappointed at first, but Baa-chan's right. Despite everything I've been through I still have a lot to learn. I know I'm strong, but I've never lead anyone before. Sakura, you, Sasuke and all of our friends might have my back and believe in me, but that doesn't mean that if I start giving you guys orders you'll trust me enough to do what I say."

"What? Of course I would. Naruto, I trust you with my life!"

Naruto was taken aback at what Sakura had just said. The pretty young girl with pink hair who was there on their first day together as Team 7 would _never_ have said that.

Sakura, herself, seemed embarrassed. She didn't even know why she had said that. Thus, she blushed. "Um…I mean…it's just…well, you know what I mean, right?"

"Yeah, sure thing Sakura…we're friends."

Sakura didn't realize she was frowning. "Yeah…best friends."

Kakashi felt sad for the two of them. 'Even now they still can't admit their feelings; I don't want them to end up like Rin and Obito.'

Shizune felt no less sorry for them. 'Naruto, you've been like a little brother to me; Sakura, you're like my sister…Why can't you both grow up and move on? You two have something special between you. Don't throw it all away just because Sasuke is back.'

Tsunade looked more frustrated than sad, "Damn it Sakura! Even now you still can't see the truth! You got Sasuke back, but now it's time to move on. You were my best student, but when are you going to wake up and admit that you and Naruto are perfect for each other…And Naruto, when are you going to wake up and see that she's changing? Stop holding on to the past!'

"Besides," Naruto continued, "I'm probably still under qualified to be Hokage no matter how you look at it. I mean, I am technically still a Genin after all."

"You are aren't you?" Tsunade asked sarcastically. "It's easy to forget that after all you've done and been through." Tsunade smiled, "Well, since you've brought it up already, Naruto, could you please get on one knee?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me brat, get on one knee right now!"

Naruto awkwardly, and in a bit of fear, did as Tsunade asked. 'Okaaay…this is weird.'

Tsunade got up from her desk and walked up to the boy. "Naruto Uzumaki, for your heroic actions in war and in protection of this village, for your role in fending off the invasion from Orochimaru and Sunagakure, to helping me to see the light and accept my role as the Fifth Hokage, to helping to defeat the machinations of the Akatsuki, to single handedly saving this entire village from Pain, to becoming the most praised hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War, and most recently for reforming the former traitor Sasuke Uchiha…the United Shinobi Forces have all decided to forego the exams and officially promote you to the rank of Chūnin!"

"_What?!"_ Naruto shouted in the most over-the-top way possible.

"What?!" Sakura and Kakashi were shocked too, but not as loud about it as their teammate.

"That's correct. Naruto, all of the shinobi leaders were indebted to you for your defeat of Kaguya, Madara, Tobi and…" she said the last name with reluctance, "…Sasuke, during the war, as well as with the rest of your impressive resume."

Naruto found himself blushing at the older woman's sudden praise of him, while Sakura was in the background, smiling in pride for him.

"But when they realized that you achieved all of this despite never having had a chance to complete the Chūnin Exams…well, they all felt embarrassed for you."

Naruto frowned in annoyance at that remark, a vein appearing on his head.

"Naruto," Tsunade continued, "this is a once in lifetime opportunity that most ninja would kill to be honored with. And I can't image anybody more deserving of this than you."

"Baa-chan," Naruto responded, "this-this is amazing. I don't even know what to say to thank you and the other leaders for this…but I can't accept this. It wouldn't be fair to the other ninja who have had to study and train long and hard for-"

"Maybe I'm not making myself clear brat! This is a once in a _lifetime_ opportunity, possibly my _last_ official action as Hokage, and you _will_ accept it! I admire your humility kid, but you talk about this being unfair, no, forcing poor, inexperienced Genin fresh out of the academy to have to face _you_ in the exams, _that's_ unfair! Now you are going to accept this promotion and finally get going somewhere in your ninja career and that's all there is to it! **Is that clear?!**"

Naruto was terrified now. 'Baa-chan sure is scary when she's mad.'

"Lady Tsunade's right, Naruto." The boy turned to the source of the voice, Sakura. "You deserve this; you've earned it, more than anyone I've ever met."

Naruto paused for a moment, realizing the praise she had just given him. "Arigato, Sakura." He turned back to Tsunade, "Alright, I accept Baa-cha-" He stopped when he noticed the very irritated scowl on her face. "I mean, Hokage-sama!"

"Thank you. Now then…Naruto Uzumaki, do you swear to continue to hold to the ideals of this village and it's heritage?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to continue to improve yourself, both in mind and in body, for the furthering of your shinobi career and livelihood?"

"I swear."

"And do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and pledge yourself to the added responsibilities you will be given as a defender of this village and it's people?"

"I swear!"

"Then as of this moment, I, Tsunade, granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, and Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, hereby dub you, Naruto Uzumaki, Chūnin of Konohagakure! Now…rise!"

Naruto Uzumaki got back up on his feet, a sudden flaring of pride coursing through his body. A smile graced his face because of it. "Thank you so much."

The old woman smiled in pride as tears welled up in her eyes. "You're very welcome kid." After that, she pulled the boy into a bone crushing hug, nearly suffocating him as she drowned his face in her colossal cleavage.

"Baa-chan…air!"

Tsunade let him go at his request. "Shizune, could you get Naruto a flak jacket please?"

Shizune smiled as she set Tonton down and grabbed a flak jacket that she had brought in with her in preparation for this moment. "Naruto, take off your jacket please."

The boy unzipped the top portion of his signature orange jumpsuit and removed it, leaving him in his black shirt that helped show off his teenage physique. Sakura didn't even realize that she had a slight blush from seeing this. Shizune put the green flak jacket on him.

"Wow,' Naruto said admiring himself, "thanks Shizune!"

He turned around as looked at his former sensei and teammate. "Hey Sakura, are you okay?"

The pink haired kunoichi had tears of joy in her eyes. She felt so proud for her friend; she had been there with him every step of the way on his journey; to be there to finally see him take such a big step towards his goal…she didn't know what came over her, but she enveloped Naruto in a huge hug.

"I'm so proud of you Naruto, you're one step closer to your dream!" Sakura exclaimed crying.

Naruto was stunned to say the least, but he felt compelled to embrace her back. Still, he felt guilty about this because of one glaring elephant in the room that was on his mind.

'Sasuke…'

He let go of her, to her surprise. "Thank you Sakura. I'll see you at Sasuke's trial tomorrow."

As he said this, he put his left hand on her shoulder, his only remaining hand after what had happened between him and Sasuke at the Valley of the End. For Sakura, Naruto's missing arm was a constant reminder of all the sacrifices that he went through to keep his promise to her to bring Sasuke home…she was overcome with guilt and regret every time she saw it.

With that the boy left Tsunade's office (soon to be Kakashi's office) and returned to his apartment.

'You know,' Sakura thought to herself, 'that jacket and those orange pants…that's not a bad look for him…Wait, why am I thinking about that?'

* * *

><p>"Wait a minute Uncle Sasuke…" Shinachiku interrupted, "how do you know exactly what happened if you weren't in the room when my dad became a Chūnin?"<p>

"Well…because your parent's told me about it later."

"That, or it's because the author didn't realize he chose to include a flashback that the character couldn't possibly remember anything about because he wasn't actually in the flashback! Seriously dude, that's just clumsy writing!"

That sarcastic voice did not come from Shinachiku or Sasuke. Both of them turned to the window of their room to see a thinly-framed figure looking in through the window. He wore a back and red colored outfit, more specifically red spandex overlapped with a black flak jacket and black belts and pouches holding all of his gear and weapons. His gloves were also black, save for the red fingertips. On his back he carried twin katanas. But the most striking feature about this man was his face, or rather, his lack of face. It was covered with a mask similar to Kakashi's except that it was red in color and covered op his entire head save for a strip across the front that exposed his eye area, stretching across the nose area so it could cover both eyes at once.

Sasuke and Shinachiku were quick to take defensive positions.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Sasuke demanded.

"Well to answer both of your questions, I am known as Randamu, and I am a missing-nin from…well, actually I don't remember what village I'm from. But as for why I'm here, its for the same reason the two of you are…because the writer of this fanfic wanted me here, DUH!"

Both shinobi dropped their guard in confusion.

"Huh? Writer? Fanf-what are you talking about?"

"Oh sorry, I forgot that neither of you have seen the light yet. You see, I just so happen to be one of those extremely rare and, might I add, ruggedly handsome individuals who has been blessed with the ability to see the truth, that secret reality of how the universe works that everyone else is delightfully oblivious to. I can see beyond…" Suddenly there was a drum roll that came from absolutely nowhere, "…the Fourth Wall. DUM, DUM, DUM!"

Neither of the two leaf ninja could say anything after the big speech that the weirdo before them had made to them.

"Uh…yeah. Where did that music come from?" Sasuke asked.

"And why are you wearing a mask?" Shinachiku asked.

"It's called 'Hammerspace' douchebag, look it up! And as for my mask, it's so no one runs in terror at the sight of my horribly disfigured face."

"But I thought you just said you were handsome?"

"Did I? Hmmm…Eh, whatever!"

"Okay enough!" Sasuke had had his fill of this bullshit. "What do you want with us?"

"Well, the truth is that I'm here to capture the boy and collect the bounty that's on his head."

"What?!" Shinachiku immediately unwrapped his weapons scroll, releasing his katana from it. "What bounty? I'm just a kid and this is my first mission!"

"Yeah, but you're also the kid who has the bloodline that can unlock the seal guarding one of the Chakra Gems." Randamu unsheathed his own katanas and got into a battle pose. "And my employers want that stone, so they want you alive, so they placed a bounty for others to claim if they bring you to them alive." The masked man suddenly turned his head as if he were talking to somebody else. "Did you get all of that readers, 'cause I ain't repeating it?!"

"Who hired you?!" Sasuke demanded loudly.

Randamu turned to face him, and even though he was wearing a mask, Sasuke could still tell that the guy was smirking sarcastically and had his eyebrow risen. "I think that you already know the answer to _that_ question, don't you Sasuke Uchiha?!"

Sasuke only starred at the masked man before him with an angry, yet contemplative expression.

The whackjob in the red and black suit turned back to his target. "Oh kid, I almost forgot to ask, after my employers finish doing whatever undoubtedly horrible things they are planning to do to you, do you think you could convince your dad to autograph my copy of his book?! I've got the hardcover limited collector's edition with color illustrations! Oh, and also, can you set me up on a dinner date with your mom? A piece of ass like that is worthy of getting porked by this awesome piece of manliness any day of the week!" He even went so far as the thrust his own crotch outward in a obscene manner at that last part.

Shinachiku was furious! "You've got ten seconds to get the hell out of here before I cut your damn head off, you perverted asshole!"

"Go ahead, it'll just grow back. But you know what, maybe you're right; I suppose twelve years of marriage to a raging sex machine like your dad would ruin your mom for most guys, even guys like me. Say, is your sister at the age of consent yet?"

"No, and don't you ever think that about my sister again, pedophile!"

"Hey I resent that, I asked you if she was of age first, right? I may be a pervert but I'm not _that_ big a pervert!"

"Uncle Sasuke," the boy called out to his godfather, "can I please kill this whacko?"

"Normally I'd say yes, but I don't know what your mom and dad's going to say if they found out you killed somebody on your first mission. Besides, I doubt this lunatic is even worth it and he may be able to lead us to whoever he's working for-"

"Oh wait a minute; what was I thinking?!" Randamu spoke up again, "I forgot that you and your wife split up, right Sasuke? That means that Karin is back on the market again. That girl is a _minx_, and if she ever got down with a creep like you then she obviously has some low standards-"

The masked man never got to finish his sentence because his head was quickly slashed clean off by Sasuke's katana. The head rolled away as blood pooled on the floor of their room. Shinachiku was horrified.

"Sorry kid, but you're going to have to get used to that if you want to be a ninja." He turned back to the masked man's corpse, "Nobody talks about my w-"

Sasuke stopped as he saw something of pure horror play out before his eyes. The headless body of Randamu was standing up!

"Oh! Damn dude! That really friggin' hurts!" The voice came from Randamu's decapitated head! "Hold on just a second."

The body went and picked up the head and put it back on top of his severed neck, where it quickly reattached and reconnected as if nothing had happened.

Both ninja were shocked, confused, and absolutely terrified all at once, especially the boy.

"Now then…" the masked man got his katana's up from off the ground and had them at the ready, "…are we ready to begin?"

* * *

><p>Well, there you go, another chapter, another cliffhanger! I really don't know if I made you guys happy or completely killed this story by introducing this character.<p>

And yes, in case some of you somehow haven't guessed, Randamu is very much the Naruto universe's answer to Deadpool. His name is the Japanese word for "random"; a pretty fitting description for both characters if you ask me! I really don't know if his humor and power to break the Fourth Wall (in this case constantly pointing out that this is, indeed, a fanficition) will be a turn off or not.

The flashback scene where Naruto is promoted to Chūnin was partially inspired by the scene in JTZ29's fic "Naruto: You've Opened My Eyes," where Tsunade tells the characters that she is retiring and Kakashi will be her successor, but while Naruto's mature acceptance of that was inspired by his original version, the surprise promotion to Chūnin wasn't.

Following the story as a fan, I always found it kind of funny that Naruto went the entire series without ever getting passed Genin rank, no matter how much he did to prove himself. The first time it was called attention to at the start of Part II was fine because he was still growing and hadn't had time to take the exam because he was on his training trip with Jiraiya. But by the time he single-handedly save the village from Pain, I seriously hoped he would have gotten an honorary promotion right there! By the series' end, it looks like he went from Genin straight to Hokage…really? If he wanted to one day get the top job in his village then Naruto needed to climb the shinobi ranks at some time. So, I decided why not make it Tsunade's last action as Hokage? If she knows she can't make him her immediate successor, at least she could give him the push in his shinobi career.

A little clarification about Sakura during this scene; the idea is that this is the point where Sasuke has just been brought home after the war but before he left again to seek redemption. As such, Sakura would sill be confused about her old feelings for him and what she has been feeling for Naruto. Remember, Sakura did offer to go with Sasuke the day he left, but in my version of events he outright refused her so she could stay and sort out her true feelings. By this point, despite what Kishimoto ultimately decided, I imagine Sakura would be _extremely_ confused about where her true feelings lay. I may explore that further later on, if not in this story, then maybe in another one at another time. I do like the idea I that Sakura's sight of Naruto's missing arm and later his prosthetic arm as a symbol of all the sacrifices he made just for her sake, a _major_ source of guilt for her.

Incidentally, the joke about me not realizing that I had come up with a flashback for a scene that neither Sasuke nor Shinachiku would have been there to witness, was exactly what happened. And first I tried to rewrite it so that Sasuke could be in the scene, but this being so soon after the war ended, as in a day or two before he left the village again in chapter 699, it just didn't feel right to me. So, since I had the idea to introduce this character, I decided that having him explicitly point out such a blatant mistake would be a hilarious way to introduce him.

Well, I guess that's all for now; sorry so much again for taking so long. Until next time, see you!


	7. Chapter 7--Life Without Shinachiku

Hey everyone, thesaiyanjedi back again with another chapter!

I know that a lot of you are probably waiting to get back to Shinachiku and Sasuke's fight with Randamu, but unfortunately that's going to have to wait a little bit. This chapter is instead going to focus on the family's first day without their son there. More importantly, we are going to see the latest seeds of the growing conspiracy being sown. Remember that flashback in Chapter 4 about the assassin that ruined Naruto and Sakura's first attempt at getting married? Well, here we are finally going to get the continuation of that as the assassin is brought in for interrogation. And, like most great conspiracies, the scene may leave you with more questions than answers.

Quick note on the last chapter, thank you for the positive feedback on the introduction of Randamu. I really wasn't sure how introducing such a bizarre fourth-wall shattering character into a Naruto fanfic would be received, but it seems you guys like him.

There will be some references and homages here, as always, so keep your eyes out for them.

Well then, lets get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Life Without Shinachiku<strong>

Naruto was at his desk typing furiously at his laptop. It had been hours ago that he and his family and friends saw their son off on his first solo mission. He figured that going to work today would be pretty rough after going through that…Boy was he right.

'Dear God this is boring.' Naruto wasn't really keeping track of how many forms, electronic or paper, that he had to go through today, but he was sure that it was too many already. Oh course, that was because his mind was on other things at the moment.

'Shinachiku, are you alright? Is Sasuke taking care of you? Have I sent my only son to his death?' That last thought caused Naruto to put his head in his hands.

As the Hokage he was responsible for assigning all the missions in the village and he always knew that the time would come, and at Shinachiku's age it would be soon, that he would have to let his son out into the dangerous shinobi world. But he never expected that it would be without the rest of his team, or his sensei.

'No,' Naruto thought to himself, 'no, I believe in him. He convinced me two nights ago that he can do this. Besides, I already put Sakura's worries at ease, so I can't start having doubts of my own now.'

He was doing more work when he heard a knock at the door. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal a pair of familiar faces, two of the three men most responsible for shaping him into who he is today.

"Iruka-sensei! Kakashi-sensei! Come in! What can I do for you?"

"Nothing much, we just wanted to check in and see how you're doing after this morning," said Kakashi.

"I'm doing fine, really."

"Naruto," Iruka interrupted, "it's okay to be worried about Shinachiku."

"Who says I'm worried? I have faith in him."

"As do we all," Kakashi said, "but don't think that being Hokage means you have to cover that up."

"I'm not covering anything up. He's got Sasuke with him and he's been well trained; I've made sure of that. My son will find that Chakra Gem before this enemy can-"

"Naruto." Kakashi said simply.

Something in Naruto cracked at that moment. It was like a dam of worry he was holding in was at last ready to burst. He didn't say anything, instead he just sat at his desk and put his bandaged hand to his face. He openly signed to himself.

"I never thought…neither of you has ever been a parent, neither of you knows what this is like, to send your own child off to what could very well be their death."

"Excuse me?" Kakashi asked incredulously, "I may not be a father, but I am a teacher. Every mission that I had with you, Sakura and Sasuke I was _always_ worried about you kids! The thought of one of you not coming home was my greatest fear. When I lost Sasuke to Orochimaru, I felt like I had lost a son…just like I did when you nearly died when the Nine-Tails was pulled from you. When Jiraiya-sensei told me he was going to take you with him on your three-year training trip, I had no idea what would happen; I had no way of knowing whether you'd come home alive! But I would always put those feelings aside; do you know why?"

Naruto shook his head no.

"Because I believed in you."

Naruto didn't know what to say to the masked former Hokage, but he was touched by his sensei's words.

"Naruto," Iruka said, "I have been an instructor of academy students for most of my shinobi career. In that time I have seen a lot of kids that I've gotten to know grow up and move on to become fully functioning Genin, and from there Chūnin and Jōnin. And as you teach so many of these kids you find yourself forming attachments to some of them and sometimes it becomes hard to see some of them go. And by far the most difficult student I've ever had to let go of…was you."

Naruto let out a gasp of surprise at what his former sensei had just said to him.

"When you were a boy you were ostracized, lonely, and desperate for attention. You were disadvantaged at the academy from the beginning by having to deal with unfair, biased instructors who were actively trying to make you fail your Genin exams all because of that fox spirit that lay within you. In another life I might have been no different from them, but Lord Third Hokage made me understand the truth, that you were not to blame for anything the fox did or the lives that it took that night…my parent's included. You were just a newborn baby that had this burden thrust upon you, and because of that you were hated. I wanted you to have some kind of role model in your life, to feel some kind of nurturing, so I kept a watchful eye on you. I treated you to ramen, I encouraged you to keep up your studies, and I was there for you to give you advice when no one else would. The truth is, Naruto…you are the closest thing I've ever had to a son."

Naruto felt like crying at his old teacher's words. It was true; growing up, Iruka was the closest thing he ever had to a father. Kakashi and Jiraiya all were that way too, but Iruka was the first one to ever be there for him, and Naruto could not imagine what his life would have been like if Iruka, or any of them, hadn't been there.

Naruto dried his eyes. "Thank you for that you guys. I'm sorry for lashing out at you like that."

"No apologies necessary kid," Kakashi said, "letting go of your kids is always tough."

"Can I ask you something though, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"You were my dad's student once, and so you knew him pretty well. So tell me, if he had lived long enough to see me grow up to be my son's age, would he have let _me_ go?"

Kakashi didn't say anything for only a moment before he put on a proud smile beneath his mask. "I have no doubt about it."

Naruto smiled, "Thanks." He took a quick sip of his morning coffee. "So, anything else I can do for you guys today?"

"No, not really," Iruka said, "just of couple of old men checking in on their old student. Hope we didn't detract from your work too much?

"Oh no, my door's open anytime," Naruto said with one of his signature smiles. "Besides, I appreciated the distraction for all this paperwork!"

Kakashi chuckled, "I can relate. All right then, see you later then, Hokage-sama."

With that both men exited Naruto's office. The Orange Hokage let out an annoyed sigh as he went back to his paperwork.

Five minutes later, he heard another knock at the door. 'Who is it this time?' "Come in."

A young adult, about five years younger than Naruto was, entered the office in full Anbu gear. He wore a mask resembling a hawk to disguise his identity. Naruto did not need to see his facial features to know exactly who it was.

"Report Captain Odaku!"

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" the Anbu said removing his mask. The shinobi had a youthful, yet rugged face that looked like it had seen plenty of action in his time. The man had dark brown hair, brown eyes, and fairly fit muscles. He also had two scars on his right cheek, a souvenir from a previous battle.

"We have recovered the data you asked for Hokage-sama."

Odaku pulled out a scroll and placed it on his leader's desk.

"Did you have and trouble retrieving it?"

"No sir. I've never let you down before, and I'm not about to start now, my Lord."

Naruto grinned, "Well, after Sai you are my top ANBU agent."

"And it has been an honor serving you, Naruto-sama."

"Thank you Odaku, I can take it from here. Dismissed."

The Anbu Captain bowed to his leader, and replaced his mask before leaving his office.

Naruto was left staring at the scroll that was placed in front of him. For twelve years he has been looking for an answer and this scroll might finally hold the answer he seeks. He could still remember that day even now, from the day both he and his wife both tried to forget…

* * *

><p>Konoha's Strict Correctional Facility, formally known as the Special Ninja Felony Prison, the most high-security prison in the village. It was the place where the worst of the worst of the village's criminals, including murderers and missing-nin, worked off their debts to society. Criminals such as the brothers Fūjin and Raijin, and even Mizuki, the first enemy that Naruto ever fought and defeated, have all served time is this place. Even Sasuke Uchiha would most likely have spent the rest of his life there, had Kakashi and Naruto not both stuck their necks out for him.<p>

Naruto and Sakura were walking to the prison now. It was the place where the assassin who tried to kill them both during their own wedding was currently being held. Right now he was being held there for interrogation, but Naruto had given orders not to begin until he got there. Sakura insisted on going with him. Normally Naruto would have insisted she stay away, both for her sake and for the baby, but this woman just had her _wedding_ ruined, so he wasn't going to dare say no to her now! Actually, Naruto was surprised that Sakura wanted to go so soon after what happened. She only allowed them time for her to change out of her wedding dress and he out of his tuxedo.

The couple made it to the prison, security letting the Hokage and his bride in on sight. Passing through the halls to the interrogation room, Naruto put his arms around Sakura as several of the prisoners they were forced to pass by started doing horny cattle calls and making obscene comments upon seeing a young women like her. Given the experience she has had today, it is understandable that she was in no mood for this. It was only very cold glares from the Seventh Hokage himself that kept them in check.

After they made it to interrogation room, they found that several of their friends were there, and all of them changed out of the fancy clothes they wore for the wedding, including Ino and the rest of the bridesmaids getting out of their dresses, and into their ninja gear. After all, it was hard to interrogate a prisoner if you aren't even dressed for the job. Once the two of them got into the room, they knew that it was time to get this thing started.

Ino stormed into the interrogation room where the prisoner was forced to sit at a cold metal table, handcuffed, with Sai and two Anbu guards watching his every move. One of the guards watching him was a quick up-and-comer named Odaku, whose reputation had impressed the Hokage. In the now crowded viewing room Naruto and Sakura looked at the scene from the one-way window. Sasuke, Shikamaru, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Chōji, Lee and Tenten were all there to support their friends. Kakashi and Tsunade also chose to be there to provide support for their former students, and as former Kage's themselves, the attempted assassination of the village's current leader and his bride was of significance to them. Gaara, Durai, Chōjūrō and Kurotsuchi were in the room as well with their bodyguards and escorts; as the current Kage, an assassination attempt on one of their peers, especially while in their presence, was considered an official piece of business so they felt an obligation to be there at least for the interrogation; besides, Gaara was not just going to leave his closest friend after seeing his and Sakura's big day ruined like this.

They all watched, some of them drinking water or coffee, as Ino began asking questions.

"Who are you?"

"I have no name."

"Not good enough. What is your name?"

"I have no name."

"Fine. Who are you working for?"

"I would be killed if I say."

Ino slammed her hands on the table. "You should realize that whatever is left of your possibly very short future depends on what you tell us today."

The assassin put on a smug grin, "I didn't know that it was in the great peacekeeper Naruto Uzumaki's good graces to threaten people with their lives just to get what he wants."

Ino grabbed the prisoner by the collar and pulled him out of his chair. Odaku and the other Anbu instantly made a move to stop her, but Sai signaled them the stop.

"Let me make something very clear to you: you are a criminal! You tried to a assassinate the Hokage and his wife today-"

"She's not his wife _yet_, now is she?" the assassin asked with a smug grin.

"SHUT UP! You committed a serious offense on a political leader! The man you tried to kill is my friend! And most importantly, the woman's whose wedding you destroyed today just happens to be my _best friend in the world!_"

"You can threaten me all you want blondie, but I'm not going to talk."

Ino threw the assassin back into his chair in rage. She stood in front of him and stared straight into his eyes, then made the hand seals of one of her clan's signature techniques.

"MIND READING JUTSU!"

"I think we established back at the wedding that that's not going to work.

He was right; despite how much chakra she was putting into the technique, Ino could do nothing to penetrate his thoughts or memories.

"How are you doing this? Why do none of our chakra techniques work on you?"

"Sorry, trade secret."

The door suddenly slammed open, and into the room stormed the Hokage himself.

"Alright, I've had enough games."

The assassin gave another sarcastic smile, "Good evening Hokage-sama; how's your bride today?"

Naruto grabbed the assassin by the hair and slammed his head down on the table.

"Owww! Don't you know never to start with the head?! It makes the victim all fuzzy!"

Naruto couldn't have cared less and slammed his fist down on the assassin's open hand. The assassin groaned in pain again as he had his head down staring at his hand.

"Look at me," Naruto ordered coldly. The assassin did not. **_"LOOK AT ME!"_**

Those in the room, and those on the other side of the glass, could not remember the last time they saw Naruto this angry. Sakura in particular was very uncomfortable at seeing the man she loved like this. She could have sworn that some of his more fox-like features became more pronounced for just a moment, and everybody could sense the Kyuubi's chakra flare up for a split second.

"Let me make this situation clear to you: you're a _criminal_, you _ruined_ my wedding, you attempted to kill me, my _fiancé_, and my _unborn child_, you then attack _all_ of my _friends_, you've committed an S-class crime against the Hidden Leaf Village by trying to kill it's leader, and the **_only_** reason why trash like you is **_still alive_** is because, for the moment, **_I_** am **_allowing_** it! So either answer our questions or **_SHUT…YOUR…MOUTH!_**"

The assassin, and everyone else, was dead silent for a moment after Naruto's outburst. After what felt like an eternity, the assassin finally spoke.

"Who I really am is of no consequence, but those whom I serve call me Anon."

"Fine," Naruto said, "and whom do you serve?"

"I wish I could tell you, but it's too soon. And as for why none of your chakra techniques work on me…now's not the time for you to find out, if there ever will be a time."

"No more riddles, what are you talking about?"

Sorry, I told the blonde girl that if I told you anything I was dead…" The assassin then fiddled around inside his mouth with his tongue, then grinned, "…and now it's time for me to keep true to that."

He opened his mouth only briefly to reveal something that shocked Naruto, Sai, Ino, and everyone else in the room and behind the glass.

"Suicide pill!" Sai shouted.

Odaku reacted with seemingly lightning speed. He grabbed the assassin's jaw and jabbed his finger into his mouth. "Don't you dare, you son of a bitch! Don't bite down! Who do you work for?! We want a name…GIVE US A NAME!"

…It was too late. He had done it. The assassin bit down on the pill. Foam gurgled out of his mouth as Anon breathed his last breath.

"Damn it!" Naruto slammed his prosthetic hand on the table in frustration.

"Forgive me Hokage-sama, I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop him."

"It's not your fault Odaku; you were doing your job." Naruto turned to Sai. "Be at the ready. I'm going to report this to the Elders and get an investigation underway, see if there's any chance of figuring out whom this guy was working for and how he nullified our jutsu's."

"Hai!" Sai responded. "But what if the Elders don't approve of this investigation?"

Naruto said nothing for a moment, "I get back to you." He was about walk out of room, when he stopped for a moment. "Sai, Ino, Odaku, thanks for all your help. I sorry I kind of lost it back there."

"It's okay Naruto, we all understand," Ino said. "I mean, I kind of lost it for a second there myself." Sai nodded in agreement with his girlfriend. Odaku didn't say anything.

Naruto nodded his head in thanks and went back into the other room. Everyone in there looked at the young Hokage with a mix of sadness, pity, and even worry after that outburst he just showed them.

Naruto sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it kid," Tsunade reassured him.

"No one can blame you for loosing your temper after everything that happened." Kakashi commented, "You were just letting him know whose boss, and no one knew he had a suicide pill hidden on him."

"Naruto," Gaara called out, "if it was my wedding and my fiancé that was threatened…I can promise you that the one responsible would not live long enough to even make it to an interrogation. You're a better Kage than me, old friend."

Naruto smiled meekly at his friend.

"That suicide pill seems like something the ANBU should have picked up on when they searched him," Shikamaru noted. " I wonder how that could have happened?" he glared in Sasuke's direction as he said that.

Sasuke himself remained silent, as if he was deep in thought.

Naruto bypassed his friends and stood next to his wife. He put an arm around her and whispered words of love and apology into her ear, and he took her hand into his other hand.

"Don't worry sweetie; I promise you that the next time we get married it will be perfect."

"Why couldn't today have been perfect?" Sakura asked sadly.

"I-I don't know Sakura. I just don't know."

"I don't like it."

"I know, I'm so sorry any of this happened-"

"No, I mean I don't like seeing you get that angry. It's not right; the Naruto I know is hyperactive, goofy, stupid, but he's also kind, selfless, compassionate, and inspiring. Seeing you get that mad, like some animal has taken over you…I just think back to that day at the Tenchi Bridge. Seeing you turn into that…that…" Sakura almost choked up as she kept herself from saying the wrong thing, "I just don't want to see you lose yourself again." Sakura broke down and started crying again.

Naruto instantly enveloped her in a tight embrace. "You'll never lose me Sakura, never."

They lost track of how long they held each other like that. There was some official business that needed to be done and some questions to be asked by the others in the room, but no one dared to intrude on the lover's personal moment.

"We'll be married soon Sakura, I promise."

"I know Naruto…I love you."

"I love you too."

The two of them shared a soft but passionate kiss; it didn't matter what the future held, or what crises came their way, they could get through all of it, together.

* * *

><p>That was twelve years ago. It seemed that the mystery of the anti-chakra barrier the assassin had been using that day may never be solved. But Naruto would periodically send what Anbu he could spare on top-secret investigative assignments to follow up on any possible leads that came his way. These usually lead to a dead end, but now, within this scroll, Naruto might have finally found the answer he has been seeking.<p>

'Leave it to Odaku; you can depend on him for anything.'

Naruto made the proper hand sign. "Release!" The seal on the scroll would not release.

"Well that's weird." He tried again, this time pouring in more of his chakra. "Release!" The seal on the scroll still would not release.

"Wow, this is just plain strange. Must be a hell of a secret if a Kage-level shinobi can't release it." He picked up the scroll and examined it. 'Who can I take this to that I can trust? Maybe Kakashi? Or Tsunade or Shizune? I wonder if Sakura's advanced enough.'

Naruto took another sip of coffee. 'Hmm…maybe its best if I keep this with me until I figure something out? Something tells me that this shouldn't be shared with just anyone.'

With that he picked up the scroll and pocketed it in his jacket, zipping up the pocket after doing so. He would figure this out later; right now he still had piles of damned paperwork that were all due before lunch.

* * *

><p>Sakura was making her rounds at the hospital. She walked down the hallways in her white lab coat over her signature red dress of the Haruno clan. The nurses all bowed and greeted her properly; the women at the hospital, particularly the younger women, all admired Sakura. How couldn't they?<p>

She was everything those other women respected both on the job and off. She was an exceptionally well-trained kunoichi, a student of both Kakashi Hatake and Lady Tsunade herself, and as a result of the latter she was now the most renowned medic-nin in the entire village, possibly the most renowned in the world. She was brilliant, strong, beautiful, and she took excellent care of her body.

But more than all of that, they admired her because of her family life. Despite being such a devoted career woman, she still put her family above all else. Her relationship with Naruto was the envy of all of them. Naruto would occasionally take time off of his work, usually his lunch break, to visit his wife and even after all these years they still looked so in love. Quite a few of the women already thought Naruto had grown quite handsome, so the see a woman they admired so much with such a wonderful man…they were kind of jealous, especially after the rumors got out about their sex life, which put some fairly romantic and erotic images in all of their minds.

Even more admirable than her role as a wife was her role as a mother. The girls at the hospital all loved Sakura's kids; Shinachiku was a wonderfully kind boy and Hanami was the most adorable little girl ever. Sakura knew the proper amount of motherly affection and strict guidance to show her kids, and they all admired that.

As Sakura made her way to her office, she went over her clipboard checking forms, procedure approvals, and double-checking rounds. She would have some of the staff come up to her with questions and forms that needed to be signed for approval, which she did with total focus and speed, like a professional. Of course, once she got to her office and shut the door behind her, she let out a huge breath and sat at her desk.

In the privacy of her own office, she reached into her desk and pulled out a bottle of sake. Like her husband she was not an avid drinker, but Tsunade had warned her that the job would, inevitably, cause her to hit the bottle more than she normally would. And today was one of those days, not because she was swamped with work, not because she had failed to save a patient, but because she had just said goodbye to her son.

As she poured some sake into a shot glass and took a drink, she looked at the row of framed photos that lined her desk. These images were what kept her going throughout the day. One was from years ago, the group they all took together when she first became part of Team 7. Another photo was of just her and Naruto days after the war ended, days after they first confessed their love A third photo was of them on their wedding day…their _true_ wedding day; she had a special genjutsu on that day to draw less attention to her pregnancy, a admittedly easier thing to understate during their first wedding than during their second. Don't get the wrong idea, she was filled with pride whenever she saw her pregnant form back then, and their second wedding ended up not being that long after the first, but despite all of that there was some base feminine side of her that just didn't want to look like a blimp on her wedding day. In a fourth photo, the two of them were joined by their newly born son. A fifth photo was next to it, a fourth member joined their family, their newborn daughter, while their son, now five years old, was very excited to be a big brother.

Looking at the photos, in reminded her how much time had really passed and how much her little boy had grown. It almost made her want to cry, but no, she had done enough crying, she needed to be strong and believe in her son, just like Naruto did. They were ninjas, all of them, danger was a part of their lives and she had to accept that.

'Now I understand how mom must have felt whenever I left home,' she thought to herself. 'Of course, if not for Naruto and Sasuke I'm sure I wouldn't be here now, especially you, Naruto." She remembered long, long ago when Naruto saved her life from the sand. She had assumed it was Sasuke that did that, so she was surprised to learn the truth. How did it take her so long to realize how much she owed him?

But her thoughts also briefly went to her other former teammate. "Sasuke, please bring my son home."

There was a knock on the door. Sakura quickly snapped to attention and stashed her sake back into her desk. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal her old teacher, her role model, "Lady Tsunade, come in, come in!"

The older woman (though you'd never know it with the Transformation Technique she uses to look as she did in her prime) closed the door behind her and approached Sakura's desk with a sympathetic smile.

"Hey Sakura, I just wanted to stop by and see if you were still okay."

"I'm fine m'lady."

"Are you, you were pretty emotional this morning?"

Sakura frowned, "It's just hard to say goodbye to my son, that's all sensei."

Tsunade nodded, "I understand, really. We're all worried about him, I mean, I'm the one who helped deliver him, remember?"

"I remember; thank you for being there for me today, sensei."

"No problem Sakura." She was surprised when the grown woman who had been her best student gave her a big hug, but she did not turn her away and fully embraced her instead.

After letting her go she looked the pink haired woman over. "You know, sometimes it is hard for me to imagine that the young girl desperate the get strong and defend the ones she loved has grown up into such a powerful, brilliant, and I must say beautiful young woman."

Sakura actually blushed. "Sensei…"

"No, I'm serious Sakura. You have surpassed me in every way; you've got all of my power and brains, your true beauty has finally blossomed, and you've surpassed me in one thing that I've never been able to do."

"What's that sensei?"

"You've formed a family." Tsunade suddenly had a sense of sadness on her face. "Sakura, when I lost my brother Miwaki, it was one of the worst days of my life. When I lost Dan it was just as bad. And then when I lost Jiraiya-" the woman almost broke down in tears, "I didn't know how much he really meant to me until he was gone. And I am so…so proud that you've been lucky enough to find true love and happiness and start a family, something I never could do."

"I'm sorry m'lady, I never knew," Sakura comforted her teacher. "I always knew that you and Master Jiraiya were close, but I never thought…"

"We were like you and Naruto in so many ways," Tsunade thought affectionately. "We were teammates since we were kids; I was serious and studious, he was goofy and perverted, even back then. We never were together officially, but after Dan died he would make love to me to help break the tension and cure my loneliness-"

"Wait, _WHAT?!_" Sakura was shocked and a little bit horrified to hear this for the first time. "Sensei, you had _sex_ with Jiraiya?!"

"Oh come off it Sakura! I was a full-grown single adult woman and I had needs like everyone else. Jiraiya and I both agreed that we weren't meant to be together and we were just releasing some tension the way we would not be comfortable doing with anyone else. Of course, now whenever I think back on how amazingly good he was-"

"Ew! Gross!"

"Aw come on Sakura!" Tsunade was outright teasing her student at this point, not unlike Ino would do. "He may have been the biggest pervert on the planet, but he knew how to make a woman feel special. I know that his skill set rubbed off on Naruto; the performance you two gave us at your engagement party is proof of that!"

Now the poor pinkette was truly embarrassed. "SENSEI!"

"What? You two were together five years before he proposed, lived together at least two years before then, both of you were closet perverts-and don't tell me you're not Sakura, because I know you better than that-it's no wonder that after he finally popped the question that you both finally gave in and did the deed. I was proud of you that night; Naruto with Kurama's stamina and lust and Jiraiya's libido and teachings, you with _my_ libido and teachings; you really are the envy of every woman in this entire village! I never knew you two could be so loud and vulgar either!"

Sakura wanted to crawl under a rock and die. She was never going to live down what happened that night. But then again, she never regretted any of it. What she and Naruto shared that night was…incredible... There was no other word to describe it. They went at each other with the ferocity of two animals in lust. Naruto had a fox spirit sealed inside him and it was a fox's stamina that he showed her. And Tsunade was right, Sakura always did have an inner pervert inside her, she just never admitted it to others. After she and Naruto got together, she found herself fantasizing about him a lot, and he her. But they chose to wait, so that their first time would be special. When they got engaged, neither could take it any more, they needed each other-it was like making love with a _god_! Every fantasy, every emotion, every secret desire and, yes, perversion either of them had been holding in came out that night and lasted for several hours.

Besides, if not for that night, she wouldn't have been blessed with her son, and she wouldn't give up him or his sister for anything!

Tsunade noticed a change in the young woman's posture. 'Good, she's being honest with herself now.'

"Sakura," she said, getting the woman's attention, "you really are lucky, you know that, right?"

Sakura smiled, thinking about her life and her family. She then touched the gold necklace with an emerald stone that hung from her neck. "Yeah, I am."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Sakura said.

A young woman, roughly in her early twenties, with short black hair and brown eyes, entered her office. It was Tsuta, one of Sakura's most trusted nurses who looked up to her like an older sister. In a way, she looked to Sakura as an idol the same way that Sakura had looked up to Tsunade.

"Excuse me, Lady Sakura," Tsuta said, "but we have a man in emergency right now having a heart attack!"

"What?! I'll be right there!" Sakura said immediately snapping to attention. "I'm sorry, m'lady, but I need to go."

"No, you go and do your job; make me proud."

Sakura smiled one more time before she steeled her resolve and went to work.

* * *

><p>At the end of the day both Naruto and Sakura made it back home at around the same time, Sakura having picked up Hanami from the academy. When the family was all at home, there was an obvious sense of…emptiness inside their lavish house. Naruto and Sakura both felt awkward to not have their son home with them. Hanami felt sad and lonely not having her big brother there at her side.<p>

At dinner, the three of them were relatively quiet.

"Hanami, sweetie," Sakura said, "You've barely touched your food."

"I'm not very hungry mommy."

"Don't go to bed on an empty stomach sweetie," Naruto added. "Please eat your dinner."

Hanami continued to eat as she was told, but she didn't look happy about it.

"So," Sakura started in an attempt to brighten the mood, "what happened during everyone's day?"

"Pretty typical day," Naruto said, "Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei came by to check up on me about Shinachiku leaving, after that it was mainly more paperwork and a few mission briefings, same old stuff."

Naruto felt kind of bad keeping the whole truth from his wife. 'I know I should keep the scroll a secret until I figure out how to open it, but it feels wrong to keep this from her like this. Maybe I should-no, no, she doesn't need me bringing up bad memories right now.'

"Oh, okay," Sakura replied, "Well, I got a visit from Tsunade-sensei today about Shinachiku also. After that I saved a man who was having a heart attack; typical day from there."

Sakura felt kind of bad for hiding anything from her husband. 'I know I should tell him about what I found inside that patient today but-no, no, he doesn't need to be burdened with bad memories right now.'

"Okay, way to go honey." Naruto said with pride. "How about you Hanami, how was school today?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Sweetie, what's the matter?" Sakura asked out of worry.

"Nothing."

"Sweetie, please, what's wrong?"

"I just…" Hanami started crying, "I just miss Shina-chan, mommy!"

Sakura instantly brought her daughter into a hug. "Oh, its okay baby, mommy misses him too." Sakura couldn't help it, try tough she might, she was crying too.

Naruto joined them both, wrapping his arms around his wife and daughter. "There, there sweetie; we all miss Shinachiku. But don't worry; your brother is going to be fine. Your Uncle Sasuke is taking good care of him."

"I still miss him daddy. I want him here to make me laugh, to make me feel safe, to sing songs to me; I feel so lonely without him!"

"Shhh…" Sakura whispered soothing noises in her daughter's ear to try and cheer her up. "We all miss him dear, but don't worry. Soon he'll come back home and we'll all be a family again."

Naruto was at a loss. He wasn't sure what the right thing to say was, but he needed to do something to cheer up his daughter. And then it hit him, he knew just what to do:

_Ooh-oo child  
>Things are gonna get easier<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things'll get brighter<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things are gonna get easier<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things'll get brighter<em>

_Some day, yeah  
>We'll get it together and we'll get it all done<br>Some day  
>When your head is much lighter<em>

Sakura listened as her husband sang to Hanami, just like Shinachiku would do. It touched her, so much that she decided to join in:

_Some day, yeah  
>We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun<br>Some day  
>When the world is much brighter<em>

_Ooh-oo child  
>Things are gonna be easier<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things'll get be brighter<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things are gonna be easier<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things'll get be brighter<em>

Naruto listened as Sakura took over singing for him. She wasn't the world's best singer, but as far as he was concerned her voice was beautiful. The two parents made eye contact, and no more words were said. As they looked down at their daughter, a smile now forming on her face, the two of them went into a duet.

_Some day, yeah  
>We'll get it together and we'll get it all done<br>Some day  
>When your head is much lighter<br>Some day, yeah  
>We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun<br>Some day  
>When the world is much brighter<em>

_Some day, yeah  
>We'll get it together and we'll get it all done<br>Some day  
>When your head is much lighter<br>Some day, yeah  
>We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun<br>Some day  
>When the world is much brighter<em>

_Ooh-oo child  
>Things are gonna get easier<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things'll get brighter<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things are gonna get easier<br>Ooh-oo child  
>Things'll get brighter<em>

_Right now, right now_

_You just wait and see how things are gonna be brighter_

Hanami hugged her father in happiness; she still missed her brother deeply, but she felt a lot better now. Naruto hugged her back, with Sakura joining in.

'Come home soon Shinachiku,' Naruto thought to himself, 'your family misses you…a lot.'

* * *

><p>Well, what did you think? Once again the chapter dragged on much longer than I anticipated. I'm sure a lot of you were confused about what Sakura might have found while helping that man having a heart attack. I thought of that while I was writing the last scene so that Naruto isn't the only one hiding something from his spouse...That wasn't meant to sound the way it sounded, but you know what I mean. I was going to reveal her own discovery in this chapter as well, but it was already going so long that I decided to merely tease the idea here and get back to it later.<p>

I introduced two new characters in this chapter, Odaku and Tsuta. Tsuta is the Japanese word for "ivy," going along with Sakura's name reflecting cherry blossoms. As for Odaku's name...well, I can't tell you what the translation is yet without giving away a spoiler. Also, the assassin's name Anon is short for "anonymous."

Now as for the references this time around, I set the interrogation scene in the Konoha's Strict Correctional Facility, formally known as the Special Ninja Felony Prison. This location was featured in one of the earlier filler arcs from the anime that take place in between the end of the Sasuke Retrieval Arc and the beginning of Shippuden. I chose it simply because I could not recall any other prison being introduced in Konoha anywhere else in the Naruto canon.

About Ino's mind reading ability, this is an assumption I am making as a fan. I realize that she has never actually been shown reading someone's thoughts in the series, but she still comes from a clan that specializes in mental-based techniques. So, if she can transmit her consciousness into someone's else's body, or transmit messages into the minds of multiple people simultaneously, then I think reading someone's thoughts would not be too hard for her...Except in this case, for reasons unknown.

The interrogation scene itself was inspired by Batman's interrogation of the Joker in "The Dark Knight"; like when he slams the guy's head on the table and then punches his hand, just like Batman did.

Naruto's violent outburst at the assassin was inspired by two sources. His screaming "LOOK AT ME!" was again lifted from "The Dark Knight," during the disturbing torture video the Joker made of the Batman impostor, he screams that line at the top of his lungs while off camera and it was so uncomfortable and scary that the entire audience fell silent; no really, that whole scene was so creepy that when it was over you could hear a pin drop in the theater!

The other source was from "Star Trek Into Darkness." The scene where Naruto is outlining the assassin's crimes and yelling at him to shut his mouth is based on Kirk's yelling at "John Harrison" in that movie; the main difference is that Naruto is right in the guy's face staring him down while Kirk was yelling as "Harrison" through a glass cell.

The assassin ending his life with a suicide pill can be accredited to a number of sources, but primarily I was thinking of Adrian Veidt's assassin in "Watchmen" and Heinz Kruger in "Captain America: The First Avenger." Keep that reference in mind as more chapters come out.

In case any of you noticed, yes Sakura has the exact same photos on her desk that Naruto did in Chapter 2.

The necklace Sakura was wearing, with a gold band and an emerald gem, was a carry over from my other story, "An Uzumaki Family Christmas." If any of you could do me a favor and give that a read as well, I REALLY appreciate it!

Once again I am bringing in levity by keeping up the running gag of Naruto and Sakura's sex life. I mean no offense to NaruHina and SasuSaku fans out there, but I just figure, looking at both characters, that of all the most popular ships for this series, NaruSaku would have the most active and healthy sex life. We all know how much of a pervert Naruto is and that Sakura is too (she can deny it all she wants, but Konohamaru proved it), so if they dated for five years and lived together for nearly two years, that's A LOT of built up sexual tension! So once they finally got engaged they both said "Screw it" and let everything out...no pun intended. Thinking about the canon ending, Hinata seems a bit too submissive for an energetic guy like Naruto and Sasuke is implied to be away from the village so often that he and Sakura likely don't HAVE that much of a love life (again, nothing personal to their fans). But Naruto and Sakura together...(cue music) "Ooohh yeah..."

Lastly, of course, is the song, "Ooh Child" by The Five Stairsteps. I wanted something appropriate that the parents could sing as a duet to Hanami and I remembered how it was used in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and thought it would work.

Well, that's all I've got, so until next time, see you!


	8. Chapter 8--An Unpredictable Battle

Hey, thesaiyanjedi here, back again with another chapter.

This time we are going to finish up Sasuke and Shinachiku's encounter with Randamu, so expect more Fourth Wall jokes and pop culture references as well as, hopefully, an entertaining fight scene.

I would like to say that I have gone back in and cleaned up most, if not all, of the spelling mistakes from the previous chapters, and I hope that it gets a lot less clumsy from here on out.

With that said, let's get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: An Unpredictable Battle<strong>

"Now then…" the masked man got his katana's up from off the ground and had them at the ready, "…are we ready to begin?"

Shinachiku and Sasuke both had their own katana's at the ready, preparing themselves for whatever this opponent might do…So you can imagine their surprise when he decided to take off into the village laughing the whole way!

"Ha Ha! Come and get me!" Randamu mocked the two Leaf-nin as he ran away.

Shinachiku was beyond annoyed. 'First this guys shows up out of nowhere, then he makes the weirdest jokes I've ever heard, then he makes dirty comments about my _mom_, then he asks if he can date my _sister_, and now he challenges me to a fight and then runs away?! Hell no!'

The boy took off out of their room without a word, before Sasuke could say anything more to him, but as it turns our Sasuke was merely following behind the boy not saying anything, only observing.

Shinachiku, despite his age and inexperience, was doing a fairly good job of keeping up with the masked man, tracking him all through the village until he retreated into the forest outside the village's borders.

"Wait Shinachiku!" Sasuke demanded, "Stop and use your head for a minute kid! This person is obviously baiting you into a trap, he wants to lure you into a place where he'd have the advantage, don't fall for it! Jeez, I would have thought you dad and sensei would have taught you better than that!"

The boy paused before he passed the borders of the forest. 'Uncle Sasuke's right; I've been taught better than this! If I just run in there blinded by rage I'll be a sitting duck. I need to clear my head and focus.'

With a long, deep breath, he gathered his wits and entered the forest, Sasuke following behind.

The forest was totally unassuming; sunlight streaking in through the treetops, chirping of birds and chipmunks in the background, nothing out-of-the-ordinary whatsoever; in other words, the perfect cover for an expert ninja in hiding.

Shinachiku was nervous as he held his katana in his hand, and kept his scroll full of other weapons at his side. His eyes darted all over the place, scanning from tree to tree in desperate hope of finding his enemy. He looked left, right, up, down, and every direction in between, but there was no sign of the red and black lunatic.

'Wait,' Shinachiku realized, 'I'll bet he's using a genjutsu to camouflage himself.' He got his hands into the proper sign to release the illusion. "RELEASE!"

Nothing happened. 'Okay,' the boy thought to himself, 'this is getting creepy.'

It was funny; the boy had spent his whole life training and studying to be ready for exactly this sort of encounter, but now that he was here, much of that training instantly gave way to fear.

'Come on, get a grip Shinachiku! You did not train with mom and dad and Konohamaru-sensei, you did not work to graduate top of your class with honors from Shino-sensei just to choke up now!'

"You look scarred." A voice came from up in the trees frightening the poor boy. He snapped his head in the direction where the voice came from.

'Oh, sorry kid, I didn't mean to interrupt your inner monologue.' The voice now came from a totally different direction up in the trees. Shinachiku quickly turned to locate the source of the noise, weapon at the ready.

"You can go ahead and relax kid; I'm not going to hurt you..." The voice was not jumping all over the sky, every word seemingly from a totally different direction, until finally, "…much."

The voice came from right behind the boy. He instantly turned around to the face his foe only to get a massive uppercut that sent him up into the trees.

"SHORYUKEN!"

Randamu appeared where the boy landed almost instantly. His speed was truly impressive, only a few steps beneath Naruto's Flying Thunder God technique.

"Hey, nothing personal about any of this, okay kid? I just, y'know, have the take you in alive to my employers to get my money. But seriously, I can still get the autograph of your dad's book, right? Oh, better yet, you got any naked photos of your mom-"

"AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"

The blonde haired boy lashed at the perverted enemy with an out-of-control fury. He hacked and slashed at Randamu furiously, but the masked man was easily able to either dodge all of his attacks or parry them with his own katanas.

"Wow kid, you've got some skill with a blade…but you should know that people do say that the larger a guy's sword, the more they're trying to compensate for something."

Shinachiku blushed in humiliation as he charged at Randamu again with no more success.

"Of course, I carry _two_ katanas with me and I sure don't have that problem. And if you really do take after your dad, the Kyuubi-enhanced sex machine, then I'm sure that you're not going to have any problems with girls either."

"Dear God, now you're making jokes about my dad's _junk_?! Are you _that_ much of a pervert?!"

"No more than the guy writing this fanfic. Like him, I'm just saying what I think would get a good laugh."

Shinachiku stopped and looked at him blankly before he just shook his head clear of awkward thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

"Look, I don't know what your game is, but-"

"Oh, GAMES!" Randamu suddenly squealed in excitement. "Oh I LOVE games! Hey, have you ever played _Ultimate Ninja Storm 4_?"

"Oh heck yeah, I got it for Christmas one year, it was aweso-_Wait!_ Who cares about video games right now?!"

"Sorry kid. Tell you what, just so there are no hard feelings, how about I let _you_ make the next move?"

Shinachiku was confused, "Really?"

"Yeah sure, why not?"

"Umm…okay."

The boy decided to shake things up a bit and got out his weapons scroll. He resealed his katana inside and released his bo staff.

"Oh, so you're both a Leonardo _and_ a Donatello fan eh? As you can tell from my swords I've always favored Leo more than anyone else…although I think most people who meet me would peg me more as a Michelangelo. Oh well, that's just them labeling-"

Randamu couldn't finish his sentence as the boy whacked him right in the face with his bo. This got the masked man suddenly mad. "I WILL NOT BE LABELLED!"

The two ninja dueled swords to bo, each doing fairly well, but the masked man clearly had the advantage. The fight continued until both of them found themselves back on the forest floor. Shinachiku got out some more weapons from his scroll, a pair of nunchakus.

"Oh, _now_ you're just copying me! I bring up Michelangelo just one time and you go ahead and-you know what? Screw it!"

Randamu then did something totally unexpected. He pulled out a brand new weapon all his own: a giant bow armed with arrows that Shinachiku barely had time to dodge.

"What the-Where were you keeping that?"

"The same place I keep all of my special gear kid, in my trustee magic satchel." He patted the side of his body as if he were gesturing to an invisible bag at his side.

"What are you talking about? There's nothing there."

"Its part of my Fourth Wall-Hammerspace thing I told you about earlier. I can literally pull weapons and anything else I want of pretty much nowhere."

"That's ridiculous!"

"No, writing a fanfic of this sort of ambition just because you got all bitchy about the pairings the original writer chose to go with to end your favorite story, _that's_ ridiculous..." Randamu suddenly turned to the side, almost as if he were looking straight into a camera. "Oh, sorry; too soon?"

Shinachiku kept dodging as Randamu shot more and more arrows at him, finding his nunchakus to be of little use. He threw them down as the enemy decided to go for his swords again…That's when the boy got an idea. He pulled out his scroll one more time and unsealed his twin sai.

"Yeah I should have known," said Randamu, "First Leonardo, then Donatello, then Michelangelo, _of course_ you're a Raphael fan too! Pick one turtle and stick with him, you two-timer!"

Shinachiku charged at the man in red and black just as he tried to stab him with katanas. He got the blades caught in the forked ends of the sais and trapped them in place. Second later…

SNAP!

The blades snapped apart, giving Shinachiku the opening he needed.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

Three clones of the blonde haired boy appeared as the real Shinachiku delivered a powerful kick to the masked man. Two of the clones held him down while the other started making hand gestures over the real Shinachiku's outstretched hand. Chakra was forming around the boy's hand and was gradually taking shape. It was time to finally put all of his hard work and training into this one technique to real use…

* * *

><p>"Alright son," Naruto addressed his son before him as they both stood in the dojo of their family's house. "You're a Genin now and Konohamaru and I have been talking…we think it's time that you learn the signature ninjutsu of our family."<p>

"Huh? What do you mean dad?"

"You've read my book, right?" The boy nodded his head. "Then you know about the technique Pervy Sage taught me long ago when we went to go find Baa-chan, right?"

Shinachiku's eyes widened in hope as he realized what this could mean. "Dad, do you mean…?"

"Yes Shinachiku, it's time for you to learn how to perform the Rasengan."

"YAY!" Shinachiku could not hold in his excitement. Finally, he was going to learn his dad's most famous fighting technique!

"Settle down!" Naruto called out with polite authority. "Now then, your old man in going to be giving you private training here at home, while your sensei is going to be giving you the same training during the day, that way you can get twice as much practice and hopefully learn it a lot faster than either of us did, okay?"

Shinachiku nodded his head and he listened closely.

"Now, are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Yes."

"Are you prepared to learn this technique the same way your old man did?"

"Yes."

"And are you willing to stick with it no matter how hard it gets?"

"Yes!"

Naruto paused "…Fine; here catch!"

The man threw a water balloon at his son, who caught it in his hands.

"Um…what is this for?"

"Didn't you say you read my book? You remember my account of how Jiraiya taught me this technique, right?"

Shinachiku thought about it for a moment, and then he got a big frown on his face. "Aw man! You mean I've got to go threw all of _that?!_"

"Yes son, you do, if you want to learn how to do it right!" Naruto took a deep breath before beginning again. "Now, the first step is pretty simple; what you need to do is cause the water inside the balloon to make the whole balloon burst. Look!"

Naruto held a water balloon in his hand as it got bumpy and wild until the whole thing exploded, slashing water everywhere.

"Whoa!" the young boy said in awe.

"Now you try."

"What? But dad, aren't you going to tell me how you did that?"

"I wish I could son, but I can't. I told you I was going to teach you the same way Jiraiya taught me and how I taught Konohamaru, and that means that you are going to have to do most of this by yourself. I can give you tips and hints here and there, but the best way to learn this is through your own trial and error."

"Well, I already know from your book _how_ you did it, dad."

A vein appeared on Naruto's head. "Yeah, but there is a difference between reading how to do something and actually doing it in real life. Even if you already know the trick, you still need to put it into practice."

Shinachiku looked down at the water balloon in his hand and braced himself as he swirled the water around inside the balloon with his chakra. This was more of a test to get the feel of it first.

Naruto watched closely. "Think back to what you saw me do earlier son, let that be a clue."

Shinachiku stopped for only a moment and then started manipulating the water in multiple directions at once…Or at least he tried, but it wasn't doing it like he planned.

"See? It takes practice. Tell you what, it's already getting late, so why don't we settle in for the night and you and Konohamaru can pick it up tomorrow?"

"Actually dad," Shinachiku answered, "I'm going to stay and practice for a little while longer, if that's okay?"

Naruto smiled at his son. "Okay son, just don't stay up too long."

_Two Days Later…_

Naruto and Shinachiku were back in the dojo again ready to begin the second phase of his Rasengan training. The boy had picked up the first step fairly quickly. After rereading his dad's book he figured out the cheat his dad had used to do it, and then he just needed to practice the rapid hand movements to get it right himself. Much like Naruto had done with Jiraiya when he was just a boy, Shinachiku revealed his mastery of the first step to Naruto by sneaking into his parent's room and popped the water balloon right over his father's face. Despite them being married, even Sakura had to admit that seeing Naruto get splashed with water by their son was pretty funny.

"Alright kiddo," Naruto addressed his son, "time for the second step. Here!"

He tossed a rubber ball to his son who caught it.

"Now," Naruto continued, "for this step, you are going to do the same thing you did to the balloon, like so." The blonde haired man held up the rubber ball in his hand and it rumbled for a moment before it exploded in the man's palm. Even if he knew what was coming, the boy was still impressed with what he just saw.

"And believe me when I tell you," Naruto continued, "that this is going to be a lot harder to break than the water balloon."

Shinachiku had read about this before, but even as he tried it out for the first time, pumping in more of his chakra than normal, the ball _still_ wouldn't break. 'Wow, this is hard.'

"Good luck son, you'll need it."

_Two Days Later…_

Shinachiku did have to _really_ push his chakra beyond his normal limits to make the rubber ball pop, but when he did it was a huge source of pride for him. And now he was in the dojo once again with his father to learn the third and final step.

"Shinachiku," Naruto said, "You've come a long way in a short time. The first step you learned was about rotation, the second was about power. The third and final step you need to learn is about compression. Watch!"

He held a simple balloon full of air in his hand…nothing happened.

"Umm, dad, nothing's happening."

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked with a smirk, "Well, let's take a look at my other hand then."

In Naruto's other hand a swirl of chakra appeared and quickly compressed itself into an orb the size of a baseball. Once again, the intelligent yet impressionable young boy looked in awe.

"So then," he started, "what you're doing in your left hand is happening inside the balloon on your right?"

"That's right!" Naruto proclaimed. You need to rotate your chakra and maintain all of your power, but keep it all maintained into a ball, like a miniature typhoon in the palm of your hand. And when you do…" He slammed the Rasengan in to a training dummy and totally obliterated it.

"So, son, shall we begin?"

* * *

><p>This was it; the time had come to put all of that hard work to use in battle for the first time. His father had given him the added dare to figure the third step out <em>without<em> reading about it in the book. It took him much longer than usual this way, but eventually he came up with the exact same work around that Naruto did as a boy, purely by coincidence. His father had told him to still keep training to one day do it without the need of clones, just like he himself did, but this way would have the do for now.

The one shadow clone worked to rotate Shinachiku's chakra as he poured more and more and more of it into the technique. This gave the boy the focus he needed to keep all of that power contained, until finally a swirling blue orb of pure chakra formed in his hand.

'Yes! Got it!' While his other two shadow clones held the masked man down, he slammed the blue orb straight into his abdomen.

"RASENGAN!"

Randamu was sent flying several kilometers across the sprawling forest. His momentum sent him through countless trees and other foliage, breaking most of his bones and leaving a very, very nasty scar on his chest.

Shinachiku did not do anything for several minutes as he starred at the empty whole in the forest that was made by the flying enemy. Then he heard a clapping from behind him. He turned to find his godfather clapping in an almost sarcastic manner with a mere smirk on his face.

"Not bad kid; looks like you really knocked him out," Sasuke said.

"Uncle Sasuke, why didn't you come and help me?"

"I wanted to see what you could do, and you didn't disappoint. Well, I guess you could make do with a bit more training, but to have mastered the Rasengan at your age, maybe even younger than your father…_that's_ impressive."

Shinachiku didn't feel wholly satisfied with that answer, feeling as if Sasuke was hiding something from him, but he figured he should pay it no mind for right now just be grateful that he was still alive.

He looked back towards the direction Randamu was sent flying through. "He'll be back, won't he?"

"Possibly, but even with that crazy healing factor of his he still won't be likely to come back tonight, especially with how far away he flew. I'd say we can head back to the inn and get a good night's rest before we head back out tomorrow for the Hidden Eddy Village."

Shinachiku nodded his head in understanding as he started walking back the way he came towards the village and the inn. "Hey Uncle Sasuke, aren't you coming?"

"Yeah, but first I need to check up on one more thing. You go on ahead and I'll catch up."

Shinachiku began heading back until he was out of Sasuke's sight…But there was one thing that Sasuke wasn't aware of. One of the shadow clones that Shinachiku had made to hold down Randamu had not yet dispersed and so the clone remained out of Sasuke's range and kept it's chakra signature low to remain undetected. He watched from up in the trees as Sasuke began fiddling with something on his neck that he had hidden underneath his collar, a microphone.

"Test. Channel 3." Sasuke spoke into the mic trying to get a secure signal. "Randamu, this is Uchiha, do you copy?"

There was no response for a moment, only static. Then, however, that familiar loudmouth came through the speaker.

"Ow! Damn it! That Rasengan really friggin' hurts! Stupid Kamehameha wannabe! Or wait, isn't the Kamehama a ripoff of the Hadouken? Or did the Hadouken come after the Kamehameha? I can never keep those two straight."

"Enough! Are you injured?"

"Are you kidding? Both of my legs are broken, one of my arms is broken, and I've got a spiral-shaped scar on my chest that looks like something from a Tim Burton movie!"

"A what?"

"Forget it, Fourth Wall-thing again, long story."

"You're insane, you know that right?"

"No, I just _act_ insane to keep myself from _going_ insane…But thanks for the compliment!"

"How long until you're healed?"

"Within the hour, maximum. Should I head back to where you two are staying?"

"No, I told the kid to get some sleep tonight and then we'll head out again tomorrow."

"So how'd he do?"

"Better than I'd hoped; plenty of courage in him and to have learned the Rasengan already…I think at this rate he'll be ready when the attack comes."

"You mean back at the Hidden Leaf Village? It'll be happening soon?"

Sasuke sighed, "…Yes, very soon."

Up in the trees the clone had been listening in, then, frowning, dispelled itself and allowed all it's memories to travel to the real Shinachiku, still on his way back to the inn.

The young boy was overcome with shock, confusion, and fear, not just for himself, but for his family and his entire village.

'Mom…Dad…Hanami…what do I do now?'

* * *

><p>Well there you have it! I hope the chapter and the fight was to your satisfaction, and I especially hope that the ending has you all hooked!<p>

The references this time around mostly came from Randamu's mouth, naturally, but before we get into that stuff, lets address the flashback. In can any of you could not guess, Naruto's teaching his son how to use the Rasengan was meant as a direct parallel to how Jiraiya taught him how to do it in the series. It was admittedly a challenge for me to pull the scene off because Shinachiku could easily read all about his dad's Rasengan training in his dad's book. I'm still not convinced I really got it right, but at least now that power is established for the boy, because lets face it, if you are going to write a story focusing on Naruto's son, he'd darn well better know how to do the Rasengan!

I gave Randamu the magic satchel ability that Deadpool possesses in the comics, the ability to pull oversized weapons of other objects from seemingly nowhere, as it perfectly, and absurdly, fits in with his Fourth Wall awareness.

Randamu giving a Shoryuken to Shinachiku was another talent that Deadpool often demonstrates, especially in video games.

The joke at the end about Randamu calling the Rasengan and Kamehameha ripoff was an homage to the influence that Toriyama had on Kishimoto and other mangakas in the industry today. Him not knowing for sure whether the Kamehameha or the Hadouken came first is a real source of confusion to me as a fan. If anyone reading knows which one came before the other, I'd really appreciate it.

This chapter also payed off all of the TMNT weapons I had set up in Chapter 5. The TMNT references Randamu made this time were based on a gag from the recent Deadpool vs. Deathstroke episode of Death Battle, one of my favorite Internet show. In particular, his thinking most people would label him as a Michelangelo type and his degree of "I WILL NOT BE LABELLED!" was directly lifted from Death Battle.

In speaking of both TMNT and Death Battle, the use of Shinachiku's sais to snap Randamu's swords was inspired by the TMNT Battle Royal episode of Death Battle, and more directly by the Leonardo vs. Raphael fight seen in the animated TMNT movie from 2007.

The Tim Burton joke is a reference to a common motif many have noticed that Burton loved to put a spiral imagery into all of his films.

I do need to address one joke that Randamu made directly at the NaruSaku fans; this was meant to just be me taking a piss out of myself as a writer and an example of this character breaking the Fourth Wall to the extreme. It was only done for fun, I swear; the last thing I intended was to insult any of my fellow NaruSaku fans...we've been getting enough of THAT from some the canon shippers as it is! So, yeah, I hope you found that funny, and no offense in case anyone took it the wrong way.

Well, I think that's all I've got this time, except next chapter might be when the conspiracy really gets going, as the ending clues you into. Until next time, see you!


	9. Chapter 9--The Enemy Within

Hey everybody, thesaiyanjedi is back again with my latest chapter of "Shinachiku's First Adventure."

I know I haven't exactly been the most hasty of posters when it comes to this work, so I continue to thank you all for your patience and your support of me.

I really hope you all like this chapter because this is where the shit _really_ hits the fan!

Before I go on, I want to say that I went back and made an edit to Chapter 6. In the flashback scene where Naruto gets promoted to Chūnin, I wrote that he had already had his prosthetic right arm implanted. After double checking Chapter 699 (which I assure you was reluctant to do), I realized that this was a mistake, and Naruto has an empty sleeve of his jacket hanging limply, telling me that at this point he still hadn't gotten the new arm. Since the scene is supposed to take place after the end of the war for before Sasuke left the village on his redemption quest, I decided to change that to make it a little bit more consistent. I still like the idea of Sakura seeing his prosthetic arm as a symbol of the sacrifices he has made for her, and I think doing that with his missing arm works just as well.

Ironically, this brings me to another mistake that I made that I have chosen NOT to correct. From some of the sources I've read, in Chapter 700, Sasuke actually does have a prosthetic left arm to match Naruto's. After looking back at Chapter 700 (very, _very_ reluctantly), I couldn't really tell. We see him reach for his sword when he thinks he heard something, but I didn't notice any bandages on his arm. The reason I was so sure that Sasuke did not have a new arm like Naruto did was because of his design for "The Last: Naruto The Movie", where he has a limp sleeve with no hand sticking out, telling me that he still had only one arm at that point. (PS: As much as I HATE the entire premise and purpose of this movie (nothing personally NaruHina fans), I will admit that I am more or less okay with the character designs themselves, and will likely be referring to them either here or more likely in later stories set during the time Naruto and Sakura were dating.) The reason I have chosen to keep Sasuke with only one arm is because of the ambiguity it adds to his character. The missing arm can be interpreted in a number of ways: maybe it is a symbol of how broken a character he is, or that he has to work to earn back what he's lost, or that he may or may not be wholly trustworthy, etc. Either way, think of it as an AU possibility...like this entire story really.

I think that's all I've got, so with that said, let's get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: The Enemy Within<strong>

Naruto sat at his desk staring at the scroll that lay on his desk. He had tried every unsealing jutsu that he knew and even sent some of his shadow clones to the village library for extra research, but so far nothing has been working.

'Ugh! I don't get it! I can defeat Pain and Kaguya but not unseal a damned scroll?'

He crossed his arms and huffed as if he was still the same stubborn child that he was in his youth. He ha to find an answer to how that assassin was able to nullify all of their jutsu's that day, and this scroll was the only clue he had. And he needed to find the solution alone; heaven forbid he take it up to the Council, especially after what happened yesterday.

* * *

><p>The Seventh Hokage was called into a meeting with the village elders, those who made up the Konoha Council. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, both members of the council during the second reign of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the reigns of Tsunade and Kakashi Hatake, were still, somehow, alive and well and advising Naruto during his own reign. Their third collaborator, Danzō Shimura, was killed years ago by Sasuke Uchiha for actions against the Leaf Village to grab power for himself and for attacking the former traitor Sasuke Uchiha.<p>

Since then a replacement had been chosen to fill in for Danzō. His name was Uragi Rimonō, an older, black-haired shinobi that left the village in search of enlightenment for several years before returning after the Fourth Shinobi World War. He gradually rose to a position of power in the village's government and while he and Naruto had never been especially close, he had earned Naruto's trust and showed him more respect than either of the other Elders did.

Naruto entered a meeting room and sat in a chair placed in front of a couch where the two ancient shinobi sat waiting for him.

"Ah, Lord Hokage," Uragi addressed, "have a seat."

Naruto did as he was told. He really didn't like having to deal with these old geezers very often, especially since they used to work with Danzō, but they've been through far more than he has and they both were friends of the Third, a man who always had his back and whom he greatly respected.

"So," Naruto started, "What is this all about?"

"Naruto," Koharu began, "we wanted to discuss some of your recent behavior over the past few days."

"Excuse me?"

"For starters," Homura said, "your decision to send you only son, a mere Genin, on a potential A-rank mission-"

"I thought we already agreed that this mission was approved?"

"Yes we did, and we did agree that Shinachiku was advanced enough that he could handle such responsibility," Uragi answered. "But when you first told us of this mission, you neglected to inform us that your son would be traveling to the remains of the Hidden Eddy Village without his Jōnin instructor or any of his teachers. Instead, you conveniently sidestepped the truth that Sasuke Uchiha would be taking the boy alone. We're all just concerned it all."

Naruto did not say anything at first, merely scowled. He knew that lying to the Elders would be a problem if they ever discovered the truth, but what choice did he have?

"Elder Uragi," he began, "I'm sorry I withheld this information from you, but Sasuke informed me that the best way to keep this situation as anonymous as possible to keep our whereabouts away for this mysterious new enemy's notice. Taking a full ninja squad would risk attracting too much attention. My bloodline is the only one that can open the seal that safeguards the Chakra Gem, and since my Hokage duties did not allow me time to take on such a mission myself, and my daughter is still a mere academy student, that left my son as the best candidate."

"And yet," Koharu interrupted, "the Uchiha is himself married to another surviving member of the Uzumaki clan, is he not?"

"Well…yes, but they…well, they've been split up for about a year now."

Homura starred at him blankly, "How convenient."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Naruto, your grades have always been some of the worst of your graduating class, you have always been one of the most impatient and reckless shinobi in this village, but at your age and in your Kage position I still would have assumed that you were smart enough to recognize that something here is seriously out of place."

Naruto was getting very annoyed, "Please, do enlighten mean as to your meaning. And come to think of it, how did either of you even find out about this in the first place?"

Koharu interjected at this point. "I suggest that you have a discussion with your adviser about that. He can answer all of your concerns."

Naruto frowned hard, 'Damn it! Thanks for going behind my back Shikamaru!'

"Right now, we have other issues we need to discuss with you," Koharu continued.

Naruto raised his head in confusion, "Like what?"

"The existence of these Chakra Gems is troubling to us," Homura said. "There is no documented account of their existence going back as far as the days of Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths. But if what the Uchiha has told you is indeed true, then their recovery is of paramount importance."

"Okay…so what's the problem?"

"Your son and the Uchiha-"

"His name is _Sasuke_," Naruto stated firmly.

"Your son and _Sasuke_ Uchiha only know the alleged location of _one_ of these gems. It is pivotal that the Hidden Leaf Village finds and collects _all_ of them as soon as possible before any of our enemies do."

"That's exactly what I'm trying to do. The mysterious enemy force that Sasuke told me and my wife about is looking for the gems too and-"

"We're not just talking about this new enemy, but our old ones too," Koharu interrupted.

Naruto suddenly got upset. "What are you talking about?"

"Any one of these gems is supposedly able to give it's user a Tailed-Beast level power. Put all seven of them together and that person, or persons, would have the powers of a god. Can you imagine that kind of power in the hands of Kumagakure, or Iwagakure, or Kiragakure, or Sunagakure-they could wipe us out at any time they wished!"

Naruto now felt disgusted. "Lady Koharu, I have worked long and hard to bring this world into an era of peace, we all have. The other shinobi villages are our allies and the other kages our friends, _my_ friends."

"And yet," Homura said, "let us not forget that the current Kazekage has had his history of violent, antisocial behavior and took part in Orochimaru's plot to wipe out the Leaf Village. As a jinchūriki he was a psychopath back then and even now is still not the most wholly charming and social of leaders. As a jinchūriki yourself, Naruto, you more than anyone know what people like him are capable of, yet alone with a Chakra Gem in their possession."

"Things are entirely different from back then…" Naruto suddenly stood up, "…And how **DARE YOU** talk about Gaara or any of my friends like that?!"

The Elders just sat there expressionless at the Hokage's outburst.

Naruto took a deep breath before he continued. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes there is," Koharu said. "We also wanted to speak to you about the recent retrieval mission one of your Anbu captain's returned from today that you _also_ saw fit to not inform us of…One of several if we're not mistaken."

"I don't what you're talking about."

"Naruto," Uragi said after a long period of silence, "we have reason to believe that ever since the assassination attempt at your wedding you have been periodically sending top secret Anbu missions without our consent. Now, as I recall, after the assassin committed suicide before he could answer any of your questions you came to us requesting an investigation, one we refused to avoid depleting the village's resources. And now we have suspicions that Captain Odaku has delivered confidential information to you."

Naruto was careful not to show any emotion on his face, 'Shit! What do I say now?'

After only a second, during which he fiddled with the still unsealed scroll he kept within his pocket, he responded. "Captain Odaku did not hand me any information that I have read or studied without informing you first."

Uragi noted the careful choice of words that Naruto had chosen. "I see. Well then, I suppose this meeting is adjourned then."

"What? But we still have the issue of his approving the cut in our defense funding in favor of schools and hospitals."

'Oh great,' Naruto thought to himself, 'Not another budgetary argument.'

"I think that we can discuss that at another time Homura. Dismissed."

Homura and Koharu stood up and bowed to the Orange Hokage as they left the room. Uragi stayed for a moment and looked at Naruto. "You're welcome."

Naruto scratched the back of his head for a moment. "Yeah, thanks for getting me out of another budget dispute. You really are the closest thing to a friend I've got on the Council."

"My pleasure kid," Uragi said. "I knew Master Jiraiya and your father, and when I left the village to find some new direction in my life, I always held them as good examples of what a true shinobi should be. And looking at you, I can see that their spirit lives on inside of you."

"Gee…thanks. But listen, those were some tough questions being thrown at me, including from you."

"We just want some answers that is all…as do you right?"

"Huh?"

"Naruto, you don't need to spell out all the details to me about what you've been doing with those secret Anbu missions of yours, but I am going to ask you about something else one more time…What was the _real_ reason you didn't you tell us that your son would be traveling alone with Sasuke Uchiha?"

Naruto paused for a moment as he considered what to say, but then he answered, "Because I wasn't sure who to trust."

"Hmm…" Uragi looked to be in contemplation for only a moment. "You're a splendid ninja Naruto…but just remember that as a member of this council I, like you, made a vow to always look out for what I felt was best for the future of this village and the ninja world. And anyone who stands in the way of that will regret it." He looked at the young man with dead seriousness, "…Anyone."

"…I understand. Thank you Uragi."

* * *

><p>There was a knock on the Hokage's door. Naruto quickly put the scroll back in his pocket so no one else would see it. "Come in."<p>

A middle aged, yet still attractive woman with short black hair and a black gi over fish nets came in. She had been the apprentice to Lady Tsunade before Naruto's own wife, and had served as her personal assistant while she was still Hokage. After Tsunade retired, she chose to stay on as Kakashi's assistant and now here she was serving Naruto as well. Suffice to say, this woman and Naruto were pretty close friends, the woman seeing him almost like a little brother.

"Excuse me Lord Hokage, but I have a quick form that needs your approval."

She handed the form to the blonde, who read it quickly before applying his signature. "Thank you Shizune."

She noticed a weary look on her leader's face. "Is something wrong Naruto?"

"Huh? Oh no, no, I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

"Shinachiku's going to be fine, you know."

"Yeah I know. Listen Shizune, could you do me a favor and find Shikamaru for me? Tell him that I need to see him in my office."

"Hai!" The woman left the room and shut the door behind her. Not more than ten minutes later, the lazy genius in the open white shirt, black undershirt and goatee came in.

"What did you want Naruto? This is so troublesome."

"I had a meeting with the Council yesterday and to my surprise they knew some things that I was trying to keep from them. When I asked them how they knew, they said _you_ were the one I should speak to."

Shikamaru merely groaned, "Yep, this _is_ troublesome."

"Shikamaru, why did you go to the Elders about my son's mission without telling me?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't do it yourself and they needed to know, just in case."

"In case of _what_?"

"In case this mission is more than it appears to be."

"Okay, you know what, why don't you just lay your cards on the table and tell me what's bothering you about all of this."

Shikamaru looked almost incredulous. "_What's bothering me?_ Okay, sure. How about Sasuke's behavior during the assassination attempt at your wedding? I think he heard the guy say something that day that he never told us. Or how about that suicide pill that the assassin had hidden in his mouth. Why do you suppose the ANBU _never_ checked to see if he had brought anything to like that into a prison? Or now, how about this crazy Chakra Gem nonsense that we've never heard of before and we only do now because Sasuke shows up out of the blue, going directly to _your_ house to ask if he can take _your_ son on this crazy adventure against an enemy Sasuke _claims_ he doesn't even know the identity of?"

"He explained to me that he needed Shinachiku because only Uzumaki blood can release the seal guarding the gem."

"And yet he just so happens to be _married_ to another from your mother's clan, whom he just so happened to have 'separated from' since last we saw him, and their daughter is supposedly with Karin now, wherever she is…Sounds awfully convenient, don't you think?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang on! Are you telling me that you think that my _best friend_ did something to _hurt_ his own _wife and daughter_ and now he's going to do something else to my _son?!_"

"No, at least, God I hope not. But use your brain here Naruto! Something about all of this just doesn't add up! Even a doofus like you can figure that out!"

Naruto stood up from his desk in anger, "You think I don't see that?! Of course something is off about this! But if these Chakra Gems and this enemy are real, then we need to find them before they do. And besides, I _trust_ Sasuke! He's the only brother I've got, and know he'd never do anything to Shinachiku. Sasuke's past is behind him, and it's time everybody else in the world realizes that."

"Moving speech, really…but do you _really_ believe it?"

Naruto put his head down for about three seconds before he looked back up at his adviser. "Thank you for your time Shikamaru; you are dismissed."

Shikamaru turned around to leave, but stopped himself in the doorway. He looked like he was going to apologize…but then he just sighed again and left.

Naruto stared at the open door as he felt the scroll he kept hidden in his pocket. He didn't want to admit it, but some of the things Shikamaru said really were getting his gears turning. Was Sasuke hiding something that the assassin told him? Why didn't anyone double check the assassin once he was their prisoner? Where did Sasuke hear about these Chakra Gems exactly? Was it just a coincidence that he and Karin broke up just when Sasuke needed someone with Uzumaki blood? He felt the scroll inside of his pocket. Was there some sort of connection between it and the gems? And what about that warning Uragi gave him before he left that meeting, what was _that_ all about?

There were so many questions that were demanding answers. And Naruto only knew one thing for certain, "God, I need a drink."

* * *

><p>At Konoha Hospital, Sakura was sitting at her desk staring at something that lay before her. It was a thin vial that contained a strange clear-blue substance. She had taken it to the labs and looked through all of her books but she could find nothing to tell her what it was…<p>

…But she knew what it did, that's for sure. They all saw the effects of this stuff, whatever it was, the day she and her husband try to forget.

Staring at the vial, memories of that patient she saved yesterday came flooding back to her…

* * *

><p>The pink-haired medic stormed into the ER where a team of doctors, nurses and surgeons were already working to keep the patient stable. As soon as they saw her, there was a relaxed seriousness that overcame everyone in the room.<p>

"Where is the patient?"

"Over here," one of the doctors said.

Sakura walked over to the patient lying on the table. He was a twenty-something shinobi, younger than her and her husband, and he was struggling to breath.

"Have we rendered anesthesia yet?"

"Yes, m'lady, but he's barely responding," Tsuta said.

"Is it a coronary bypass he needs?"

"Doesn't look like it," one of the doctors said. "We haven't seen any clogs in the veins or arteries and he's still ready to go into cardiac arrest!"

"Damn!" Sakura quickly put on some rubber gloves, "Alright, we're just going to have to wing this one then!"

She let her hands glow with her chakra as she felt out the source of her patient's condition. It was difficult to find, even for a medic as gifted as her. But then again most medical ninja did not have her well above average chakra control.

Sakura eventually felt the source of the blockage, realizing that the reason that it was hard to find was because it was faintly spread throughout the patient's bloodstream, not concentrated in one spot. There was only one thing she could think of for a situation like this: the Delicate Illness Extraction Technique.

"I'm going to need several buckets of medicinal fluid and water over here, stat!"

As the nurses went and got what she needed, Sakura focused her chakra into a scalpel. She tried to make the incision…but something was blocking her.

"What the hell?!"

"M'lady?" asked one of the doctors.

"My chakra scalpel's not cutting; this can't be. I haven't see anything like that since…"

Sakura stopped in horror. This was exactly like the assassin that attacked them at their wedding twelve years ago! Any kind of chakra or jutsu attack was either deluded ore repelled, as if it were some sort of chakra barrier. Naruto had tried to get an investigation going on it with no success. And now, all these years later, this dying patient has the same thing!

She had no time tow dwell on the past though, someone's life was on the line. 'Right, we're just going to have to do this the hard way!'

Sakura called for a scalpel, a _real_ scalpel, and made a very careful incision into an affected blood vessel. She then wasn't sure where to go from here. On instinct she fell back on her old medical training and tried using her chakra to push trace amount of the medicinal fluid through the patient's bloodstream, figuring it wouldn't work…It did.

'No way! You mean that our chakra is worthless _outside_ this man's body, but it works fine on the _inside_? That makes no sense!'

But, again, she had no time to dwell on that as the fluid gradually drew out the cause of the patient's condition and the apparent answer to her questions, a clear-blue fluid of unknown origin found within his blood. The medicinal fluid served as a medium through which the unknown substance was suspended in the air and forced out of the man's body. Sakura had gotten a large portion of the fluid out and called out to one of her nurses.

"Tsuta, get me two vials, quick!"

The young woman did as commanded and Sakura filled the vials with a portion of the mysterious substance, separated out of the medicinal fluid to keep it pure and refined for further study. She then dumped the rest of the substance into one of the buckets of water.

"Another!"

Sakura knew that she had a long way to go before the entire mystery agent was out of this man's system. And so the operation continued for several more hours, until, finally, the man's entire blood system had been cleared out.

Sakura took a deep breath, relieved that it was finally over. "Alright, Tsuta, go ahead and heal him."

As her nurse used the Mystical Palm Technique to heal the scalpel wounds, Sakura ordered one of the doctors to take one of the sample vials down to the lab to study for an antidote. She didn't notice some of the doctors exchanging knowing glances at one another as they took the sample.

The second vial was still with her, and she stared at it with a mix of fascination and concern.

"What do you suppose it is Lady Sakura?"

"I don't know Tsuta, but we need to find out soon. I'm going to hang onto this sample to do my own research, just in case."

Tsuta had a curious look on her face, almost as if she wasn't too keen on that answer. Sakura didn't notice however, she was far too focused on the mystery fluid that lay within the vial in her hand.

* * *

><p>Sakura was going to perform some experiments within her office to study the sample she got from the procedure yesterday, but she had been too swamped with work up until now. The doctors have also yet to get back to her with an update on the test results from the first sample. The patient himself had, to her knowledge, not yet regained consciousness from the operation…or so she assumed, no one gave her an update on that either.<p>

She checked the time, it was nearly 12:00 PM. 'I guess I'll go meet Naruto for lunch…I hope he remembers that we're eating at that sandwich shop down the street today.'

With that, she pocketed the vial in her signature red dress, now with the red spiral of the Uzumaki clan encased within the white circle of the Haruno clan, and zipped up the pocket for safe keeping. After hanging up her white medic coat and clocking out to lunch, she started walking towards the exit.

"I wonder what Naruto is up to right now?"

* * *

><p>Naruto was walking down the corridors out of the Academy, ready to enjoy his lunch break with his beloved wife. No, it wasn't going to be Ichiraku's this time, which sucked, but as long as he got to spend time with her, he didn't mind too bad.<p>

Before then however, he needed to make a stop at the bathroom to take a quick leak. As the Hokage, err, relieved himself, he noticed the door open and a bunch of Leaf Ninja and a few Anbu walked in. Taking the stall next to him was Odaku.

"Afternoon Lord Hokage," he said as he took a piss. "Evidence response found some fibers on the roof they want us to see. You want me to get a tac team ready?"

"No, let's wait and see what it is first, probably nothing serious."

"Hai."

As the two men continued their business, Naruto saw even more shinobi and Anbu enter the room, some of them were starting to look rather large and armed for combat…

Naruto was finished by now and so he zipped up his fly and went to the sink to wash his hands. Odaku finished and took the sink next to him. The guys behind them took their place at the urinals…Naruto saw that they were just standing there, not even zipping their flies down. At lest one guy had what looked like a line of sweat running down his face, as if he were terrified about something he was about to do.

"By the way Naruto," Odaku said, "I forgot to mention, good luck with your son, I hope he comes hope safe."

Naruto got a very uncomfortable vibe off of how he said that. "Thanks…"

Then even more shinobi came in. The bathroom was way too overcrowded now, even for lunch hour. Many of them were not even lined up for the toilets; they were crowding around him at the sink.

Naruto, having grown up as the rejected monster constantly berated, ridiculed, and sometimes even assaulted by the people of his own village, knew an ambush when he saw one. Still, he was the Hokage now, so he might as well be fair.

"Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?"

There was only a brief moment of hesitation before the first guy, Odaku, pulled out a kunai and aimed right at Naruto's throat. But Naruto was ready for it and grabbed the kunai and threw Odaku's arm aside before punching him in the gut. Another guy attacked, but Naruto took him out just as easily, and another, and another. But then they gained up on him all at once. Some of the ninja made a move for the pockets of his orange jumpsuit.

'They want the scroll.'

Naruto wouldn't let that happen; he used all of his strength to push these big, heavy guys off of him. He noticed one of them had a syringe in his hand, one that contained a strange clear-red fluid within. Be damned if he was going to let them pump him with any of that! The guy was grabbed by the legs and thrown up against the ceiling, coming down with a hard thud.

More guys made their move, with kunai and even swords! Naruto readied two swirling balls of chakra in his hands, no longer needing the aid of a shadow clone to do so.

"TWIN RASENGAN!"

The two ninja it hit were knocked out, as were the ninja standing poised to fight behind them that happened to be in the way. That was pretty much all of Naruto's attackers…save for one who was just now standing back up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Odaku put his hand up is a stop gesture while holding a nasty-looking kunai in his other hand. "My Lord, I just want you to know, THIS AIN'T PERSONAL!"

Odaku jabbed the kunai into Naruto's shoulder. He struggled through the pain to pull away the hand of his treacherous Anbu captain until Odaku jabbed the same kunai into his leg.

Naruto, grunting in pain, grabbed hold of Odaku and slammed him head first into a porcelain toilet, knocking him out.

"Yeah? Well it kind of feels personal!"

Biting his teeth, Naruto yanked the kunai out of his leg. Kurama was already working to heal the wounds, but for the moment the blonde's shoulder was still numb and his leg was limping.

He exited the door to the bathroom to see a small army of armed Leaf ninja arriving to apprehend him, weapons at the ready.

"Get on your knees and put your hands in the air! NOW!"

Naruto could barely process what was going on, but he knew he needed to get him and his family out of their, now! So, improvising, he used his one good arm to rapidly rotate his own chakra, pushing his power output to its max but not bothering with trying to contain it. The result was an uncontained Rasengen that essentially acted as a massive shockwave that knocked down, and in some cases knocked out, all of the ninja, giving Naruto time to limp away.

He used the sneaking and camouflage skills he had mastered while polling pranks as a child to evade the squads of ninja looking for him. Although he did notice that not all of them were after him; in fact, some of them appeared quite confused about what was going on.

Naruto was desperate, he needed to sneak past all of this and get to Hanami. But just his luck, ever though he, somehow was lucky enough to sneak past most of the ninja and get to the academic division, there were a number of ninja standing right in front of the door to the classroom Hanami was in, as if they already predicted he would come looking for her.

"So be it!" Naruto said to himself as he charged, his wounds healing enough by now that while his shoulder was still sore, the limping was mostly gone. He thrust another Double Rasengan at the ninja…only to see the chakra technique dissipate in their presence.

Naruto was horrified! It was that assassin from his wedding all over again!

The moment of shock gave the ninja the opportunity they needed to attack with punches, kicks, and slashes of bladed weapons. Naruto had to endure the pain as he was pressed against the door to the classroom. Getting a peak inside…the room was empty. Shino, Hanami, and the rest of the students were nowhere to be seen.

"No…no…**NOOOO!**"

A pulse wave of Kurama's chakra sprung out of Naruto, knocking out all of the ninja and even giving some of them slight burns, but Naruto couldn't have cared less

He had only one priority right now: find his family and get out of the village.

* * *

><p>Sakura has left her office and was going to the main lobby of the hospital. She was anxious to get to see Naruto for lunch and get her mind off of the mystery vial she was carrying.<p>

But before she could approach the front door, a wall of doctors, nurses, and a few standard shinobi, all blocked her way, then all closed in to surround her.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked nervously.

"Lady Sakura," Sakura recognized the voice of the nurse who made her way to the front of the crowd…it was Tsuta. "I'm sorry m'lady, but we're going to need that vial you're carrying."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have it," Sakura lied. "Now if you'd excuse me Tsuta, I have a lunch date with my husband."

"I'm afraid your husband won't be making your lunch date…And neither will you."

Sakura got really mad and took a battle stance. "Are you threatening me?"

"No, I'm just giving you advice that would be in your best interest." Tsuta took out a kunai as did the other shinobi there, save for a few who carried scalpels and syringes instead. "Please m'lady, I really don't want to have to hurt you. Just give us the vial and come with us."

Sakura held her stance for a moment, multiple thoughts running through her mind. Then she relaxed and made a move as if she were going to go with them…

…And then with lightning-fast speed she slammed her chakra-enhanced fist into the floor, just enough to cause a miniature trembler that knocked many of the medical ninja to the floor.

Sakura made a move to beeline for the door, but some of the ninja got back up and engaged her. Sakura, always careful to carry a few spare weapons with her, pulled out a kunai and slashed and parried her enemy's attacks. Sakura's skill was incredible, taking on that many ninja single-handedly without the use of any backup or clones. But eventually someone did get in a lucky hit and slashed her leg.

"AAAHHH!"

Sakura fell to her knees and one of the ninja took the opportunity to lay a hard punch right across her face. They held her up while still on her knees, as Tsuta came up to her, now holding a syringe with a clear-red substance inside it.

"It didn't have to be this way, m'lady."

'No way,' Sakura thought to herself, 'No way in hell I'm going out like this!'

Her eyes glanced around until she noticed a fire extinguisher on the very nearby wall. 'That's it!'

With all her strength, she broke herself free of the one holding her, quickly pulled a shuriken out of her pouch, and threw it at the fire extinguisher, causing it to rupture and spray it's fluids everywhere, mostly at Tsuta, who was forced to her knees by the force of the spraying fluids.

Before Sakura made her escape, she pocketed the syringe with the red fluid, wanting to keep it safe since she figured it may be connected to her other cargo.

Her situation being what it is, she couldn't spare time to fully heal herself. So, limping, she ran out the door of the hospital towards the Academy where her family was, taking cover the whole way there to loose any more Leaf ninja that came her way.

* * *

><p>Naruto must have searched the entire Academy by now; there was no sign of Hanami. But there was no way he was giving up on her. His nindo was to never give up, especially not on those whom he loves.<p>

Having looked everywhere, with the aid of his shadow clones, he had found a safe place to hide near the front door to the Academy. There was no one around at the moment, which surprised Naruto greatly; you'd think that the front door would have more security. But then again, the rogue ninja were probably all out looking for him to make sure he never made it this far to begin with.

Tired, confused, and very depressed that his daughter was missing, Naruto just sat in his hiding spot until he could come up with a new plan…

…Then he saw something, or rather someone. A lone figure was making its way to the Academy entrance. He couldn't make out who it was at first, but he needed to be ready.

He waited on the other side of the door, kunai at the ready. Whoever it was on the other side suddenly stopped, as if they were expecting someone on the other side as well. The Hokage and the mystery person both readied themselves, though neither of them knew what the other was thinking.

Then one of them, no idea which, made their move and threw the door open. Each of them thrust their kunai's outward to stab whatever enemy was awaiting them…until they each stopped dead in their tracks realizing who each of them was.

"SAKURA!"

"NARUTO!"

The two lovers dropped their kunai to the floor and came together in a powerful hug, each one letting out tears, happy beyond measure that both of them were alive.

Neither of them could resist, their lips collided together as they both tried to find solace in each other…until reality finally did sink in.

"Naruto, what's going on?"

"I don't know. I stopped by the bathroom on my way to go see you. The next thing I know Odaku and at least a dozen ninja and Anbu are trying to kill me!"

"Same thing here; I was going to meet you for lunch when Tsuta and a punch of medical ninja attacked me!"

A realization then came over Sakura. "Naruto, where's Hanami?"

Naruto looked like he was on the verge of crying, "I don't know. I searched the entire Academy already; she's not here, _none_ of the children are here."

"What?! Naruto we've got to do something! We can't just leave our daughter here!"

"Don't you worry honey; we're not going anywhere without out little girl with us!"

"You may not have a choice."

The voice did not come from either of them. It came from a third party that they hadn't noticed was standing in their presence. Upon hearing the voice they both turned to the source of the voice with kunai in hand.

They both relaxed upon seeing who it was.

"IRUKA-SENSEI!" Naruto embraced his old teacher in a powerful hug, which the old man happily returned. Sakura, a former student of his herself, joined in on the reunion.

"It's so good to see both of you alive," Iruka said.

"Sensei, what's going on? Why are my own ninja trying to kill me and my wife?"

"I don't know Naruto, I was just stopping by to visit you and see how you were holding up after yesterday, and I took shelter during all of the madness."

"Sensei," Sakura interrupted, "Forgive me, but have you seen our daughter, Hanami?"

"I'm sorry Sakura, I haven't. Shino and all of the children were lead to another location by Anbu escort."

Realization dawned on Naruto at that moment, "They're using her as bait. They know that as long as they have Hanami that we'll come looking for her and fall right into their trap."

"Exactly…and that is why both of you need to leave right now!"

"What! Sensei, I am **not** leaving without my daughter!"

"I understand Naruto, believe me. But there isn't anything you can do for her here, at least not yet."

"What are you saying?" asked Sakura.

"Get out of the village. Get to safety. Go find your son. Find out what this conspiracy really is. Then come back when you have a plan. That's the best option for you two right now."

"But Iruka-sensei…Hanami…my little girl…she'll be all alone. What if they hurt her…or torture her…or-" Sakura could not bring herself to finish her own thoughts as she broke down at what she and Naruto had to do.

"Sakura, they won't dare harm a hair on Hanami's head. As long as they have her, they have a reason for you two to come back. Besides, she's a terrific student with amazing parents; I'm sure she'll be alright."

Sakura barely felt any better…but she knew that Iruka was right.

"Here, I found these lying around the Academy. They should fit you both so you can sneak out of the village unnoticed."

He handed them both dark ponchos with hoods that they could use to hide their identities. Both of them put them on as they, reluctantly, prepared to leave.

"I used to do a lot of sneaking around the village when I was a kid," Naruto said. "It was to get away from the grown ups that would try to chase me. I know a secret route that can get us out of the gate without anyone noticing."

"Good. You'd two had better get going."

"Sensei," Sakura said, "if they find out you helped us, you could be charged with treason."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take for two of my best students…including the one whose almost like a son to me." Naruto smiled happily. "Besides, at my age what more do I have to loose?"

Naruto hugged his former teacher one more time. "Thank you for all of this. We'll be back for Hanami. Stay safe, sensei."

With that the two parents, brokenhearted expressions on their faces, took off in the direction of the main gate. They both knew they'd be back and hopefully very soon.

'Hanami,' both parents thought to themselves at the same time, 'your mommy and daddy are coming back for you, we promise on our lives!'

But there was also something else on their minds as well, 'Shinachiku…please be safe.'

* * *

><p>The majority of the Leaf Villages' shinobi forces were gathered together in the Jōnin Standby Station. Nine members of the fabled Konoha 12-Sai, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, Chōji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyūga, Shino Aburame, Rock Lee and Tenten-were all gathered there. Konohamaru Sarutobi and his two former teammates, Moegi and Udon, were summoned there are well, as were Temari, Karui, Hanabi Hyūga, Mirai Sarutobi, and Shizune. Senior and retired ninja like Kurenai Yūki, the crippled Might Guy, and former Hokages Tsunade and Kakashi Hatake, were also in attendance.<p>

None of them could believe what they were hearing. Some of them were in denial, like Konohamaru, Chōji, Kiba and Lee. Some were totally devastated, like Hinata and Ino, and some merely stood there in contemplation like Shino, Kakashi, and especially Shikamaru, who also had a fair mixture of guilt as well after that argument they had last time he and Naruto spoke.

Odaku, despite having a massive headache caused from hitting his head on a toilet, was yelling at all the shinobi to get their attention.

"Eyes here! Whatever your op is, bury it. This is level one, contact the other shinobi nations. Shut all pathways out of the village. All security intel goes to us. Scan all open sources: messenger birds, computers, mail, whatever! If anybody says anything about these two, I wanna know about it!"

"With all do respect, if the village is conducting a manhunt for it's own kage, then we have a right to know why."

It was Mirai Sarutobi, granddaughter of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, daughter of Kurenai and the late Asuma Sarotobi, cousin to Konohamaru, that dared to ask this question. She was not the closest to Naruto or Sakura, but he was a hero she grew up admiring and he had been her leader for much of her young life. Plus, she loved her cousin and he idolized Naruto.

"Because they lied to us."

Everyone in the room turned to see where the voice had come from. In from the other end of the room stepped Councilman Uragi.

"Lord Seventh Hokage, scratch that, _ex_-Lord Seventh Hokage and his wife both have vital information related to the safety of this village, the answers to a dangerous mystery that has remained unanswered for the last twelve years. Those secrets, if allowed to fall into the wrong hands, could be a disaster for the safety and security of this village. But they each refused to share that information with us."

Uragi took a deep breath before he continued. "As difficult as this is to accept, Naruto and Sakura Uzumaki…are now fugitives from the Hidden Leaf Village."

* * *

><p>Wow! I sure hope you guys are still interested after that ending, because this was somewhere I've been interested in taking this story for a while now.<p>

As far as references go, there was really only one major inspiration this time around, and that was the film "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." The cryptic comment Uragi made before Naruto left the meeting was inspired by a scene between Cap and Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford's character).

The fight scene in the bathroom was directly lifted from the awesome elevator fight scene in that film, right down to Naruto's awesome line where he offers any of these guys the chance to get out before they all try to gang up on him. I really wanted to show Naruto be a badass and take out a whole bunch of guys all on his own, no shadow clones, just by himself. I merely changed it to a bathroom instead of an elevator because I'm not sure whether they have elevators in the Naruto Universe...That and it was an excuse to sneak in some scatological humor.

Lastly, the final scene where all of the shinobi are gathered together and told that Naruto and Sakura are now fugitives was based on the scene that immediately follows Cap's escape from S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ where Pierce puts the exact same order out on him.

In my previous chapters I made the choice not to translate Odaku's name for you, and it was to save it for this moment. "Odaku," as I've come to understand it, is a Japanese word meaning "corruption."

But, at the same time, I've also introduced yet another new character as well, Uragi Rimonō. I cannot translate his name either because it is an even more direct translation of something, but we'll get to it.

I really struggled to justify Naruto and Sakura being forced to leave Hanami behind, a decision they made very, _very_ reluctantly. So I made it clear that they both desperately wanted to take her with them, but they couldn't because Naruto just couldn't find her in time. Plus, it leaves her fate, in addition to what is going on with Shinachiku, as another dangling thread of tension to be explored later.

Once again, I hope you've all enjoyed reading and if you have any theories or ideas about where this story should go next, by all means share them!

Until next time, see ya!


	10. Chapter 10--Suspicions and Confessions

What's up everybody, thesaiyanjedi is back at last with another chapter.

First of all, thank you all for your feedback from the last chapter; I'm glad that I got you all hooked and asking questions. And thank you all for your suggestions too.

Sadly, a lot of your questions will not be answered here, but don't worry, I promise that things will straighten out eventually.

Once again this chapter will contain a flashback, this time it ended up being a very long one. It, like the chapter in general, in mostly a character insight piece instead of being about action and fighting, but I think you'll enjoy it. It's my own take on something that surely must have happened during the time span shown in Chapter 699 but which Kishimoto never took the time to show us.

Well then, lets get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Suspicions and Confessions<strong>

Sasuke had come back to the inn about an hour later than Shinachiku did. Thankfully for the boy, the innkeeper did not put up too much of an issue with how her guests just stormed out of the window to their room making such a large ruckus…they were ninjas, weird behavior was part of their job.

Shinachiku had been on edge waiting inside the room the whole time, kunai hidden on his person just in case. What his shadow clone had informed him of upon dispelling really had the boy confused.

'Why was Uncle Sasuke communicating with that crazy bounty hunter? What attack on the village? What the hell isn't he telling me?! I've got a lot of questions that need answering when he gets back-no! What am I thinking? I can't let him know that I know anything! Uncle Sasuke could kill me in my sleep if he wanted, with hardly any effort!'

It was at that point that the door opened up and Sasuke entered. Shinachiku hurriedly picked up his copy of his dad's book, pretending that he had been reading it the whole time Sasuke had been gone.

"Kid, have you been reading that book this whole time?" asked Sasuke. "You must have read that damn thing at least a dozen times by now. How are you not sick of it?"

"I think my dad's story is really cool, so are yours and my mom's. There are a lot of different kinds of stories in here too; stories about loss, bravery, sacrifice…" Shinachiku eyed his godfather directly, "…treachery."

Sasuke only stared emotionlessly for a moment, as if he were looking for some hidden meaning behind what the boy was saying, before he gave up.

"Whatever you say kid; let's just get some sleep before we head back out tomorrow."

Shinachiku did not get much, if any sleep that night. He kept a kunai under his sheets the whole time, worried about whatever the hell was going on. He could not get over Sasuke's suspicious behavior. Turning up at his house out of nowhere, inviting him on a mission to recover a mysterious all-powerful gem, and now he allies himself with a bounty hunter that just tried to capture him!

'Uncle Sasuke's not telling me something…and by the time we get to the village I need to know what that is…"

The next morning the two ninjas awoke, cleaned up, got dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast. Sasuke noticed some red under the boy's eyes.

"Hey kid, didn't you get any sleep last night?

"Not really; sorry."

"Well your loss; just don't let it slow us down. We need to be at the village within two days."

"Why so soon?"

"Are you as dumb as your dad? The sooner we get to that gem, the sooner we can secure it and keep it from this new enemy."

"Or hand it right to them…" Shinachiku mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." The two of them went back to eating their breakfast. "Hey Uncle Sasuke?"

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering, why didn't you ever agree to let Lady Tsunade re-grow your missing arm like she did for my dad?"

Sasuke stopped eating and looked as his missing appendage. He didn't answer for several moments.

"Because I felt I didn't deserve it; I still don't."

"What?"

"When the war ended I figured that I was going to spend the rest of my life in jail, and I felt I deserved that fate. Your dad and Kakashi-sensei saved me from that fate by pleading with the other Kages and the Daimyō, but I knew that there was a lot I needed to do." He paused and looked at his missing arm again. "My missing arm became a symbol of all I've lost, all I've done, of how empty and incomplete I really am, and a reminder that how much I had to do now."

"But don't you think you've done enough by now to earn growing that arm back?"

"…No, I don't."

Shinachiku took in the man's answer. He was checking for any signs of guilt, or lack of confidence, anything suspicious. If Sasuke still felt incomplete…then maybe he really _was_ hiding something dangerous from the boy.

Sasuke himself was becoming lost in thought. His mind drifted back to that fateful day seventeen years ago…

* * *

><p>"ORDER! ORDER!" The Fire Daimyō banged a gaffe to quiet a talkative courtroom. The Daimyō had come to visit the Hidden Leaf Village to deal with the sentencing of a dangerous war criminal, one who had been a thorn in the sides of the shinobi villages for years, one who had now, finally, been returned to the village from which he had rebelled to face judgment.<p>

The five kages were all in attendance for the event: Gaara, Fifth Kazekage of Sunagakure, A, Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure, Mei Terumī, Fifth Mizukage of Kirigakure, and Ōnoki, Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure. But the primary host, and defense, was Kakashi Hatake, recently appointed Sixth Hokage of Konohagakure.

The courtroom chambers were filled with villagers, clan heads, and shinobi from the five villages. Most of them were anxious to see the prisoner charged and sentenced quickly as they all felt he deserved. Even several of those from the prisoner's own village were anxious to see sentence carried out. Guests in attendance included retired Hokage Tsunade and her assistant Shizune, Gaara's siblings Kankurō and Temari, A's brother Killer B, jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, A's right-hand man Darui, Samui and her Cloud ninja teammates Karui and Omai, one of Mei's chief Swordsman of the Mist Chōjūrō, and Ōnoki's granddaughter Kurotsuchi and her partner Akatsuchi. Guests from Konoha included Council Elders Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, Hiashi Hyūga, head of the main branch of the Hyūga clan and his youngest daughter Hanabi, Shibi Aburame, ninja of the Aburame clan, Chōza Akimichi, head of the Akimichi clan, Kurenai Yūhi and her team consisting of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyūga, as well as her newborn infant daughter Mirai Sarutobi, the team that once belonged to her deceased lover Asuma Sarutobi consisting of Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chōji Akimichi, the wheelchair-bound Might Guy and his two surviving team members Rock Lee and Tenten, the young Anbu member Sai and Captain Yamato, Academy instructor Iruka Umino, and Ebisu and his students Konohamaru Sarutobi, Moegi and Udon.

But the most important guests, along with the Hokage himself, were the prisoner's own former teammates. One of them was a teenage girl with pink hair and a diamond-shaped seal emblazoned upon her broad forehead. The girl, renowned for her actions during the war and for her exceptional skill as a medical ninja, looked extremely troubled by what was about to happen. She appeared almost heartbroken at the fate that may soon befall the young prisoner.

The other guest was a blonde-haired teenager with whisker marks adorning his face and with one arm currently missing. This boy, once ostracized as a monster due to the Nine-Tails spirit sealed within him since birth, has now become arguably the most famous and hailed hero of the ninja world. He currently looked troubled as well, as if he were concerned for the fate of his old friend but was working to keep his emotions in check.

The prisoner himself was a teenage boy with raven-black hair and missing an arm of his own to match his blonde-haired former teammate. He appeared completely emotionless, almost as if he didn't care about whatever fate would befall him today. Normally he would be kept in handcuffs for these proceedings, but the fact that the boy was missing an arm made that difficult. So, instead, his remaining hand was cuffed and the opposite cuff was attached to a belt loop on his pants. The boy was also under close supervision by Anbu guards.

Once the room was called to order, the Daimyō began the proceedings.

"This court is now is session. The accused, Sasuke Uchiha, last surviving member of the Uchiha clan of Konohagakure, is charged with desertion of his village, high treason for allying himself with the rogue Sannin Orochimaru and the former village of Otogakure, as well as the former criminal organization known as the Akatsuki, assault on the five kage's within the neutral Land of Iron, plotting to wipe out the Hidden Leaf Village, attempting to kidnap the jinchūriki of Kumogakure for the Akatsuki, murder of the village elder Danzō Shimura, and attempting to murder the five kage and incite revolution across the entire shinobi world. How does the defendant plead?"

"Guilty."

There were clear gasps of shock and surprise at Sasuke confession of guilt. Many of the attendees from the Leaf Village were especially shocked, but no more so than his two former teammates. Sakura was clasping a hand over her mouth as tears already threatened to spill out of her eyes. Naruto did not cry but he did look very sad. He made a motion to try and put his arm around Sakura as an act of friendly comfort…but he just couldn't bring himself to do it, it felt too…awkward, especially right now.

The Daimyō spoke again. "SILENCE! Let the records note that the accused has made a plea of guilt to all charges. Lord Hokage, as this young's man former sensei and his primary defense attorney, do you have anything to say?"

Kakashi, garbed in his Hokage robes and hat, rose from his seat and took to the floor.

"Hai Lord Daimyō. As you have said I have known Sasuke Uchiha ever since he was a Genin fresh out of the Konoha Ninja Academy, and in that time his skill and natural talent were quick to impress me. Sasuke quickly rose to become my fav-" the masked Hokage stopped to correct himself as he glanced at Naruto and Sakura, "-_one_ of my favorite students."

Kakashi knew that this next part was going to be tricky to get across; one wrong phrase could ruin any possible hope they had of saving the boy's life. "In the years that Sasuke was under my tutelage, I was quick to recognize a pride and overconfidence in him, no doubt a result of his clan's high status within the village, as well as an aloofness he displayed to those around him. But even more serious, the boy's mind was clouded by rage, a deep-rooted desire for vengeance against his own brother, missing-nin and former Akatsuki member, the late Itachi Uchiha. As his instructor I did everything I could to teach the boy that revenge was not the right path; that it would only lead to more pain and misery. I was concerned enough with keeping him from this path that I may have failed to pay proper attention to his other teammates, a decision I regret. And then the Chūnin exams came and Sasuke received a curse mark from Orochimaru. This ultimately fueled the unhealthy desire for power within Sasuke until, despite my best efforts to sway him, he made the choice to leave the village to join Otogakure."

The atmosphere in the room was uncomfortable. Everything Kakashi was saying was true, but it was not doing much to help Sasuke's case. Kakashi needed to find some way to salvage this. "Following that, the boy's life choices do speak for themselves. However, I would like the make it clear that Sasuke was clearly not in the correct mindset. Anyone as deadest on revenge as him would be thinking irrationally and at one point thinking in insanity, therefore his actions-"

"Objection!" It was the Raikage who furiously interrupted the proceedings.

"Sustained!" shouted the Daimyō.

"This boy is an S-class criminal who betrayed his entire village, joined two rogue ninja groups and who not only attacked myself and the other kages, but tried to kidnap my brother to have his tailed beast extracted! I will not stand and let that go unpunished!"

"Lord Raikage, you do not have the floor at this time!" the Daimyō objected. "However, your objection has been noted and will be added to the prosecution. Now take your seat."

A sat back down in a furious huff.

"Lord Hokage, you may continue to make your case."

"Arigato Lord Daimyō. As I was trying to say, Sasuke was clearly not in his right mind for several years, both his grief over the massacre of his clan and his desire for justice totally clouding his judgment-"

"The boy is insane, just like Itachi!"

The outburst came from Ōnoki. "Lord Daimyō, why must we waste any more time with this? This boy's actions against myself, the kage's, and the rest of the ninja world are those of a man who is mentally unstable and a threat to safety of all those around him; though that is not surprising given where his gene's came from."

There was an outburst of shock at the old man's harsh comment. Sasuke made no sort of reaction at the old kage's damning comments against his clan.

"Let us not forget," Ōnoki continued, "that this boy's brother was none other than Itachi Uchiha, the missing-nin who went insane and massacred his entire clan, save for this boy here, in cold blood for no reason. Perhaps evil just runs in the family."

Even more shocked gasped came out of the crowd, but Sasuke, even as they called his departed brother a psychopath, only hung his head in shame.

"THAT'S A LIE!"

The voice that rang through the courtroom belonged to the blonde haired teammate of the accused.

"Naruto!" shouted Kakashi, "mind yourself! This is official business!"

"Gomen sensei, but I cannot just sit here and do nothing while my best friend's life is on the line."

"Young man," the Daimyō said, "this court is barely tolerant of outbursts from the kage's themselves, but if you are allowed to speak out of turn again and you will be dismissed from these proceedings. Is that clear?"

Naruto sighed, "Hai sir." He sat back in his chair again folding his arms. Some of Naruto's friends felt embarrassed at what Naruto had just done, while others, like Hinata, pitied him. Sakura was sitting next to him; normally she would not hesitate to berate the blonde for having such an outburst in front of the Lord of the Fire Country, but this time…well, the poor girl just wasn't into it today.

"Your student has quite a temper on him Lord Hokage," the Daimyō smirked amusingly.

Kakashi sighed in exhaustion, "You have _no_ idea. Still, the boy means well, and he only seeks to support his friend. Plus he may still be feeling empowered since he just got promoted to Chūnin yesterday-"

Kakashi stopped when he noticed the irritated vein protruding from the young man's forehead.

"What is your name young man?" the Daimyō asked.

Naruto and many others in the courtroom, including Sakura, were surprised that the Daimyō was bothering to acknowledge him like this. Still the boy responded as if it were no big deal.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, my lord."

The Daimyō looked surprised to hear this. "Ah, so you are the young man who saved your entire village from the Akatsuki member Pain, and you completed several great deeds during the war, including stopping this boy from murdering the kage's while they were still trapped within the Infinite Tsukuyomi, correct?"

Naruto hesitated before answering. He made a glance towards Sakura, almost as if he was asking her permission to tell the truth, even if it might hurt Sasuke's case. The girl only nodded sadly. He paused only for a moment and answered, "Yes sir, I am."

"Well young man," the Daimyō said, "it seems that everyone in this courtroom owes you quite a lot. Due to your and Ms. Haruno's affiliation with the defendant I have gone over your personal records in preparation for this trial…quite impressive. I am aware that you are the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, disciple to the current Hokage as well as the late Toad Sannin Jiraiya, studied sage arts with the toads of Mount Myōboku, and completed numerous D, C, A, even some S-rank missions. I have to say that it is quite remarkable that a shinobi as young as you could achieve so much from such difficult beginnings, not even having any clan of his own to speak of."

Naruto actually found himself blushing somewhat at the sudden praise the Daimyō had given him. He scratched the back of his head in humility. "Oh well, all that stuff was nothing really. I actually did have a family clan but like Sasuke's they're pretty much gone now."

"Really?" the Daimyō asked intrigued. "Your file lists no record of your parent's identities anywhere?"

"Well, from what I've been told, the Third thought my life would be in danger if people knew that the Fourth Hokage was my dad."

Naruto sweat dropped as he realized what he had just said, but it was too late. He smacked his own forehead, "D'oh!"

The entire room erupted into disbelief. By this point a number of people in the room-including Tsunade, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, and A-were aware of Naruto's true parentage, but most of the occupants in the room did not know. The rest of Naruto's friends that made up the Konoha 12 were all dumbstruck, some of them having enormous, over-the-top reactions to this revelation.

"Wha-Wha-WHAT?!" Ino stuttered in disbelief.

"Holy SHIT!" Kiba shouted.

"The springtime of youth lives in Naruto like I have never known before!" Lee proclaimed.

"Come to think of it, once you take away those marks on his cheeks, there is kind of a resemblance there," Shikamaru noted.

"Why didn't he ever say anything?!" Chōji demanded.

"Naruto…" Hinata's mind merely drifted as she took in this newly discovered truth about her longtime crush.

"ORDER!" the Daimyō demanded. Everyone in the room quieted down. "Regardless of this new discovery, young Master Uzumaki, you declared the Tsuchikage's earlier comments to be a lie. What proof do you have of this?"

"My Lord," Naruto answered, making brief eye contact with Sasuke while doing so. "Some time before the war started I traveled to the Land of Lightning to try and plead to the Raikage not to go after Sasuke, because he was my friend. He said no, but while I rested for my return journey I was approached by Obito Uchiha himself, or Tobi as he called himself then. He told me the truth-"

"Naruto!" Sasuke suddenly called out, as if he did not want his friend to reveal the truth.

"SILENCE!" the Daimyō demanded. "The accused will remain silent or be held in contempt! Naruto Uzumaki, what truth did the masked Uchiha speak of?"

Naruto took a deep breath and looked back towards Sasuke one more time before continuing. "He revealed that after the Nine-Tails attack on the Leaf Village, the Council suspected that the Uchiha themselves has used the Sharingan to take direct control of Kurama to make him attack the village. Technically that was true since Obito was the one responsible…but anyway, my point is that after that night the Uchiha were kept on close watch and forced to live in a segregated corner of the village. Because of this, the clan began feeling rekindled hatred for the village, especially since they were controlled by Senju-clan ancestors. So, the Uchiha plotted a coup d'état with Anbu member Itachi as their spy."

Gasps came from the crowd and they all took this in.

"But," Naruto continued, "Itachi was afraid that a coup would lead to a civil war and then another Shinobi World War, so he instead provided intel to his clan's plans to the Konoha government. The Third tired to negotiate peace, but that was taking too long and Danzō Shimura convinced Itachi that wiping out his own clan was the only way to advert war, to which Itachi made Danzō promise to spare Sasuke. But the clan suspected Itachi of acting strangely, so they asked Shisui Uchiha to keep an eye on him. But Shisui was against the rebellion too so he tried to stop Danzō, but that lead to his death and both Danzō and Itachi each getting one of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan eyes. Shisui's death was covered up as a suicide and Itachi was labeled a murderer by his own clan. After that Itachi met with Obito, thinking him to be Madara, and since Madara was cast out by the clan for causing unrest during the village's founding, he allowed him to aid in wiping the Uchiha out, in return for sparing the rest of the village and Sasuke."

Everyone was listening carefully to what Naruto was telling them. Even Sakura was awestruck at Naruto's words as he revealed the true downfall of Sasuke's clan.

Naruto continued, "The night of the slaughter, Tobi did help Itachi murder the rest of his clan, including his parents. But when Sasuke came home that night and found all of his kin dead, he saw his brother standing over his parent's bodies. You see, Itachi had used Tsukuyomi on Sasuke to make him think that he acted alone, because he _wanted_ Sasuke to get strong so one day he could come after him and get vengeance."

Naruto paused for a moment. "My point, Lord Daimyō, is that Itachi Uchiha was not insane; no, you could argue that he suffered more than anyone that night. And Sasuke is not crazy either; maybe his brain was polluted with hatred and lies and confusion for a while, but I have seen and fought beside the _real_ Sasuke, Sakura and I both have. Yes he's made mistakes, _a lot_ of them, but he deserves a second chance. I can vouche for him, and if I you don't see fit to give him that chance…" Naruto smiled to himself and took off his forehead protector before continuing, "Then you can consider this my resignation from service as a ninja for my village."

Everyone in the room gasped at what Naruto had just done, but those who knew him best were horrified. Tsunade, Iruka, and most of his friends gasps in shock, Hinata looked terribly sad, Kakashi was speechless, Sasuke himself was looking up in fear, and Sakura looked like she was about to break out in tears.

"Naruto don't!" Kakashi shouted. "You just made Chūnin yesterday; don't throw your career away just for your friend! What about your dream?!"

"My dream? Kakashi-sensei, how can I ever be a good ninja, let alone Hokage, if I can't even save my best friend? Besides," he turned to Sakura, "I made someone a promise, and if I fail to keep that promise now, then as far as I'm concerned I don't deserve to be called a ninja."

Sakura couldn't hold it back any longer. She started balling out tears as her closest friend literally put his entire future on the shoulders of Sasuke's fate.

"Naruto…why? You can't do this; you've come too far, you could loose everything…WHY ARE YOU DONG THIS?! WHY?!"

Naruto cupped his hand underneath Sakura chin and pulled her head up to look him in the eyes. "For the same reason I made you that promise, for the same reason that you worked so hard to help bring him home…I care too much about you." He looked back towards Sasuke, "Both of you."

Sasuke couldn't say anything. After all that he'd done, after all the pain he'd caused him, his old friend still believed in him and cared for her _that_ much!

'Naruto I…I don't deserve a friend like you…and I doubt I ever will.' A single tear streamed from the Uchiha boy's eye.

"Sakura," Naruto said, "I know that you may never feel the same way about me, but I want you to know that I will do anything to make you smile again…even if it's not with me."

Once again Sakura couldn't help herself as she pulled the blonde into a desperate hug, tears still falling from her eyes. Naruto, no longer afraid, wrapped his arm around her as she let it all out.

"Naruto Uzumaki," the Damiyō called out. Naruto broke up his and Sakura's hug as he turned to the leader of the Fire Country. "You seem to be a passionate and loyal friend to this young man, so loyal that you are willing to stake your own career on his fate and reform…" The Lord paused before cracking a smile. "I admire that."

"Huh?" Naruto asked confused.

"In times like these, in a world recovering from the suffering and mistrust of war, it pleases me to hear that such bonds of friendship can still exist in this world. Beyond that, your acts of heroism and valor during the war and your ninja career thus far have earned the respect of both myself and everyone in this room. For these reasons, I have decided to honor your request and leave the fate of Sasuke Uchiha in the hands of the Hokage."

Everyone, including Naruto himself, where dumbstruck at this decision.

"But Lord Daimyō-" A tried to object.

"My decision is final. Lord Hokage, do you accept the right to pass judgment on the prisoner, with the knowledge that any negligible action he takes in the wake of this will reflect poorly on you and your tenure as Hokage?"

Kasashi looked to Sasuke for a moment, then over to Naruto, which caused him to smile beneath his mask. "Yes, I do accept."

"Very good; you may now pass judgment, Lord Hokage."

"Sasuke Uchiha," the Hokage said getting the boy's attention, "in light of your heroic service in war and in light of Naruto Uzumaki's personal vouching of you, I hereby clear you of all charges against this village and the shinobi nations. I also reinstate your status as a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village; however, you will be demoted back to Genin rank. You will also be limited on what missions you may be allowed to take and any actions you make outside of the village will require my approval first. Do I make myself clear?"

Sasuke, still not believing that this was happening, could only respond simply. "Yes sir."

"Good. Guards, please remove the boy's restraint."

The Anbu uncuffed the boy's hand and no sooner had they done so then his former pink haired teammate wrapped him in a hug. Sasuke, despite his relief to be free, still felt too awkward to accept it.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Sakura said.

"Y-Yeah…me too Sakura."

Naruto watched as his longtime crush instantly embraced his old friend. It stun, hard, watching this, but what else could he expect? He had finally fulfilled his promise and gave her what she always wanted, and he supposed that would have to do.

He was apparently so lost in thought that he wasn't prepared for said girl to embrace him in a tight hug once again, all the while saying "Thank you" over and over again.

Naruto, a bit nervously, wrapped his arm around her again. "You don't need to thank me Sakura."

"Yes, I _really_ do. What you did for him…I don't have words to thank you for that. You brought him home, you saved his life; you've risked everything-"

She was cut off as she felt the blonde haired boy lay a quick, innocent peck on her forehead, right where her seal was. "You're welcome Sakura."

He figured he should walk away before she tried hitting him, but she didn't, instead she felt that spot on her brow as if she were lost in thought.

Naruto made his way over to the raven-haired boy, who, unbeknownst to them, had been smiling at both of teammates during their exchange.

"Listen Naruto," Sasuke said, "I'm not, I mean, I can't believe you did all of that. You believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself…Thanks." He stuck out his hand.

Naruto took the hand. "That's what friends are for." But Naruto then leaned in, "You know that if you do anything crazy again it's gonna be both mine and Kakashi-sensei's asses on the line, right?"

"Yeah."

There was an awkward silence before Naruto spoke up again. "Hey guys, how about we all go out to Ichiraku's tonight to celebrate, just the three of us?! My treat!"

"Uh! Naruto, do you _really_ think Sasuke is in the mood for ramen right now?"

"Actually," Sasuke interrupted smirking, "it sounds perfect."

* * *

><p>"Uncle Sasuke? Are you alright?"<p>

Sasuke was snapped out of his nostalgia by his godson's voice. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine, let's just get finish eating and then we'll continue east toward the village remains."

After they completed their meal, flapjacks with syrup, eggs over-easy, bacon, sausage and hash browns, with a side of biscuits and gravy, they checked out of the inn and headed east out of the village towards to sea, where the remains of the Hidden Eddy Village lay.

As they leaped from tree to tree, Shinachiku constantly studied the black haired man ahead of him, his weapon pouch at the ready for anything. It looked like Sasuke wasn't going to talk about what was really going on unless he asked him outright, and Shinachiku dare not do that for fear of loosing an advantage. One way or another, he needed to stay alert until they got to the village. And there, for better or worse, he was going to get answers.

Still, the boy did find his mind wandering to other things as they kept their pace. 'I wonder what's going on back home, or what mom and dad are up to now.'

* * *

><p>Naruto and Sakura were about a hundred kilometers outside of the village. Thanks to their semi-inconspicuous disguises and Naruto's secret path outside the gate, no one saw the two fugitives make their escape.<p>

_Fugitives_…neither one of them could believe it. After so many years devoted to bringing Sasuke, a missing-nin and a war criminal, back to the village, now the two of them were being forced to retreat for their lives while receiving the same label from their own home. The difference was that Sasuke became a fugitive because of his own bad choices, while Naruto and Sakura…well, they didn't know _what_ was going on. All they knew was that they were wanted now and their poor daughter was still stuck in the village going through God only knows what!

"Okay," Naruto said, "I think this is far enough for right now. Let's catch a quick rest and then we'll take refuge in a nearby town, renting a room under assumed names. Then the next morning-"

Naruto was cut off by the sound of his wife weeping. "Sakura?"

"Hanami…she's all alone back there…"

Naruto put his arms around her, "Honey, we both agreed that this was for the best. They're not going to hurt her as long as they don't have us-"

"And how do _you_ know that?!" Sakura screamed. "For all you know she could be getting chopped to pieces right now and Shinachiku's out in the middle of who knows where, while the two of us are stuck all alone in the woods!"

Naruto only starred at her grimly. "Oh God, Naruto I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lash out, I'm just so-"

"I know Sakura, I'm worried about them too. That's why we need to figure out what's going on so we can hatch a plan to get back there and save Hanami and our friends."

"And how are we going to do that? We don't have any clues, and evidence, nothing to go on whatsoever. How can we unravel a conspiracy if we don't even have a single lead?"

Naruto paused before he took a deep breath. "Maybe we do."

"Huh?"

The ex-Hokage took a scroll out of his pocket. "Yesterday Odaku came to my office and delivered this scroll to me. I been working to open it up, but all of my unsealing jutsus aren't having any effect on it."

Sakura looked confused, "What's so important about that scroll?"

"Do you remember the first time we tried to get married?" He frowned as he saw the hurt reaction on his wife's face as she recalled that memory. "Well, ever since then I've been periodically, say once or twice a year, sending what Anbu I could spare on off-the-books recon missions to find out whatever they could about how that assassin at our wedding was able to nullify our chakra as soon as we came in range of him. This scroll that Odaku delivered to me might finally give us an answer after twelve years. When my men attacked me in the bathroom, I think some of them were reaching for it."

Sakura was shocked, to say the least. "Why didn't you tell me about that scroll last night?"

"I don't know; I guess…I guess with Shinachiku gone, I didn't…I didn't want to burden you with something that would bring up bad memories. I know that's no excuse for me not telling you…I'm sorry Sakura."

The woman frowned, "It's alright; you're not the only one who's been keeping secrets."

"Say what?"

Sakura reached into her own pocket and pulled out the vial of blue liquid. "Remember when I told you I saved a man who was having a heart attack yesterday?" Naruto nodded his head. "Well, while I was examining him, I realized the only way to find the cause of his condition was to use my Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, but when I made my chakra scalpel, is dissipated when I came within range of the patient's body."

Naruto's eyes widened in understanding, "You don't mean…"

"Yes, just like the assassin from…that day. Anyway, I had to use a real scalpel to cut him open and then, not expecting it to work, I used my chakra to reach into his blood system and I pumped at least a quart of this stuff out of his blood."

"Wait a minute, so you're telling me that your chakra didn't work _outside_ that guy's body, but it did work on the _inside_?"

"Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either, but that's what happened. I filled two vials with this mystery agent, what ever it is. This one here I kept for myself to run my own experiments, the other for my doctor's to take to the lab…after today I'm guessing they probably destroyed the other sample."

"Jeez…" Naruto was at a loss as he took in all that Sakura just said. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"I don't know…I guess for the same reason you kept the scroll a secret from me. With Shinachiku gone, I was afraid you were hurting so I didn't want to burden you with something from the past…I'm sorry Naruto."

"So…that means we both kept secrets from each other that we encountered on our jobs, both having to do with the same thing, and we both kept them from each other for the exact same reason. Did I get that right?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right to me."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh a little bit, "Y'know, if we weren't just forced to flee our own village because of this, then this might actually had been funny."

Sakura, despite knowing full well how serious all of this was, kind of had to agree and let out a chuckle; but like Naruto, it was mainly just a tension release.

Then she remembered something else. "Wait." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the syringe she had picked up from Tsuta, still with the reddish liquid inside of it. "While I was escaping the hospital, one of my nurses tried to stick me with this. It reminded me enough of the blue stuff that I pocketed it for safe keeping."

"Yeah," Naruto remembered, "one of my guys tried to stick me with that stuff while they attacked me in the bathroom. What do you suppose it is? An antidote?"

"No, if it was an antidote then they would want to waste it on the two of us." Sakura thought for a moment. "I think its some sort of reverse serum."

"Huh?"

"It's just a theory since that assassin at our wedding used taijutsu only, but if this blue stuff were injected into a fully-developed ninja with average chakra reserves, then that ninja would likely become immune to an enemy's chakra attacks but still be able to use their own chakra against someone. Well, I'm wondering if this red stuff would do the opposite; if either of us got injected with it, then maybe we would _loose_ control to use chakra techniques, but we'd still be vulnerable to enemy's chakra. Either way, based on the man who's life I saved yesterday, the effects only seem to work on the surface of the skin…Hey, you're keeping up with me, right Naruto?"

"…Amazingly, yes."

"The question is how are we supposed to find out if my theory is right or not? I don't have access to a lab now that we're on the run, and besides, I think we should head towards the Hidden Eddy Village and find Shina-"

"No, I don't know if that's a good idea." Sakura was taken aback at what her husband just said. "Believe me honey, I want to find him more than anything, but his parent's are wanted fugitives now, meaning that if anyone comes after us than we'd be leading trouble right to him. Besides, Sasuke's with him now, he'll be fine. Thank God he came back to the village just in time to pick up our son before-"

Naruto had to stop as things clicked in his brain. He thought back to what he and Shikamaru had argued about in his office today. He said that he thought he heard that assassin whisper something to Sasuke at their wedding that he never told them, the same assassin who somehow snuck a suicide pill into prison with him passed the Anbu guards, one of whom tried to "stop" the assassin from biting down and just so happened to be one of the same Anbu who tried to kill him today. Then there was Sasuke coming back home with his story about the Chakra Gems, showing up at their house out of nowhere to ask if their son can go with him on an adventure against an "unknown enemy." He said that he needed Shinachiku because the seal guarding the gem could only be released with Uzumaki blood, and his wife, who just so happens to be from the same clan, conveniently left him in between now and his most recent visit, taking their daughter with her.

Naruto _really_ didn't want to admit it, but maybe Shikamaru had a point; maybe something _was_ off about all of this.

'No,' Naruto said to himself, 'Sasuke's past in behind him; don't get yourself paranoid Naruto, your son is going to be fine…I hope.'

"Naruto, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine honey. Anyway, Sasuke will look after him. As for that serum…I think I know a place that might have a lab we can use, and maybe get my scroll opened as well."

"Oh really? Where?"

Naruto took a very deep breath before he gave his answer.

"The Hidden Sound Village."

* * *

><p>Back in Konoha, Odaku was addressing the squad of Jōnin before him. These recruits were the best of the best, the finest shinobi of their generation, and the ones who knew their targets better than anyone.<p>

"Alright listen up!" Odaku commanded. "The nine of you have been gathered here to answer a call to arms. Councilman Uragi has chosen each of you to be part of a 10-man cell under my command. You have each been selected for this task because of your past affiliations with your targets. Normally a 10-man cell would not be necessary to track down two missing-nin, but in this case we are taking about a disgraced former kage and a master medical ninja with the Strength of a Hundred Seal. Both of your targets are pupils of two of the Legendary Sannin themselves, and one of them happens to be the son of a former Hokage and the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Alone each of these two is a formidable opponent; put together they have proven to be nearly invincible, even without the aid of their Uchiha associate. For this reason the insight each of you have into their mannerisms, ethics and abilities, as well as the bonds of trust you have in each other, will be paramount to the successful capture of these fugitives. I realize that many of you may have mixed feelings about tracking these two down and I sympathize with that, but each of you have taken an oath to protect this village and defend it against it's enemies. I also know that all of you have children as well; don't worry, I have senseis and guardians assigned to look after them while all of you are gone. So…do you all accept this A-ranked mission that has been given to you?"

The nine shinobi gathered in the room with Odaku all responded in unison. "HAI!"

"Very good; then meet me at the village gate and let's move out!"

The nine-person cell that had assembled for this mission all glanced at one another as Odaku walked out ahead of them. Their names: Sai and Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, Rock and Tenten Lee, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyūga and her husband Kiba Inuzuka.

All of them had agreed to this mission…absolutely none of them were happy about. None of them believed that this was real, figuring that there had to be more to it than they had been told. But one way or another, Naruto and Sakura were out there, and they needed to be found…for their own sake.

They all just hoped that they got to them before it was too late…

* * *

><p>There you have it, another chapter of the sprawling (sort of) epic.<p>

There weren't a lot of references this time; however, I'm sure you noticed Naruto smacking his forehead and saying "D'oh!" As a lover of classic "Simpsons" (i.e. the first ten seasons, a.k.a. 90s Simpsons), I thought that seeing a doofus like Naruto do that would be funny!

Also, Ino's reaction to Naruto's true parentage was an homage to Sheila Broflovski (Kyle's mom) from "South Park," who often has that same shocked reaction as her catchphrase.

The trial scene was a challenge to write and I figured it out as I went, which is part of the reason why it went so long. The gag of the guards handcuffing Sasuke's one hand to one of his pant loops was taken from something I've read online that real police officers might do if he have to handcuff a one-armed suspect.

The decision to have Naruto accidentally reveal who his dad was during to trial was done for comic relief. I figured that it would have to have come out eventually, and even though I knew that Tsunade, Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura all knew by the end of the war, I did not think anybody else on that battlefield (besides a now dead Obito) knew the secret...Actually, I was always surprised that neither Sasuke nor Sakura had a more incredulous reaction to meeting Minato for the first time.

Also, I kind of like the irony of Naruto unintentionally stealing Sasuke's spotlight for a moment during his own trial. LOL!

I hope I didn't confuse anybody with Sakura's theory about the blue and red serums and their opposite powers. Long story short: blue serum means you are immune to chakra attacks and but can still use your own chakra on others; red serum means you can't use your own chakra, but you are still vulnerable to other's chakra...and both serum's effects manifest within your skin.

As I tried to figure out where Naruto and Sakura could go for their investigation, the idea of Otogakure just came to me as I knew Orochimaru had plenty of secret laboratories to conduct his numerous experiments, and as a fallen Sannin, maybe, just maybe, he could help open Naruto's scroll and/or have information about what is really going on.

Lastly, the ending scene. I thought that having all nine of Naruto and Sakura's friends be assigned to track them down would be great for drama. Don't worry, I plan on taking SilentRaider52's advice and getting into their own thoughts and misgivings about this mission in later chapters, as well as give their kids something to do.

Well, that's all I've got for now. I hope you all enjoyed it. Until next time!


	11. Chapter 11--Friends Stick Together

What's up, thesaiyanjedi is back again with another chapter!

This one might feel rather repetitive as it goes on, but I was trying to get into the back stories and emotions of all of these characters as they now begin their own roles in the drama.

Also, I wanted to say something else; I don't fancy myself much of an artist, save for the written word, but I am open to the idea of seeing illustrations of this story done. So if anyone out there reading this is also into doing NaruSaku fanart, please instant message me if you've got some ideas.

Well, with all that said, let's get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Friends Stick Together<strong>

A squad of nine Leaf Village shinobi proceeded to walk to the village gate. They had assembled for one purpose: to capture a pair of missing-nin wanted for withholding information vital to the continued survival of the village. There was only one problem: the targets they were selected to go after just so happened to be two of their closest friends.

None of the nine wanted to believe that this was true, but they had each taken an oath of loyalty to the continued protection of the village above all else. Some of them were speculative about what they were about to do, others were heartbroken, but all of them were determined to find their friends at least to find out the truth.

Shikamaru Nara, current head of the Nara clan, former member of Team 10, later renamed Team Asuma after his sensei, the late Asuma Sarutobi, and adviser to now ex-Hogake Naruto Uzumaki, was deeper in thought than anyone. Ever since they were kids back at the academy, he had considered Naruto a friend, one of the first of their peers to see him as something more than just the Nine-Tails incarnate. The had both been "dead lasts" back then, although in Shikamaru's case it was just his own laziness that got in his way; Naruto was just, well, an idiot back then.

But Shikamaru has stated in the past that there was always something about Naruto that made him want to follow him, which made him open to hanging out with the blonde even when outside of missions. After Asuma died, he in turn helped out Naruto when he lost his own master, Jiraiya. Before he knew it, Naruto had become one of his best friend's, just like Chōji. During the war, he fought at Naruto's side against the forces of Madara and Obito and, after his life was saved by the girl who would become Naruto's wife, and his father Shikaku tragically lost his life, Shikamaru made it his resolve to be there at Naruto's side as his adviser, the extra brain to help him make the key decisions needed as Hokage.

It is for this reason that he did not believe any of what Odaku was telling them. Naruto was a lot of things-moronic, hyperactive, tactless-but he could _never_ be a traitor. He thought back to the argument that they had earlier that day; he already regretted it, but now it got the gears in his legendary brain turning.

'If anyone is a traitor here it has to be Sasuke again…I just _know_ it!

He remembered a conversation he'd had with his wife after Naruto and Sakura went on the run…

* * *

><p>"I can't believe this." Temari said.<p>

"Yeah, neither do I," Shikamaru responded. "That's why I'm joining the retrieval party to bring them back."

"What?! Shikamaru, I thought Naruto was your friend? He's the man who changed Gaara for the better. If not for Sakura's then Kankurō wouldn't even be alive-"

"I know, I know, but that's also why I need to get to them before anything else happens. There's a lot more going on here then we're being told…I think Naruto stumbled onto something, and somehow Shinachiku is connected to it. I don't know what it is, but I'm not going to find the answers but just sitting around here."

"So what's your plan?" There was a clear mix of fascination and worry in the sandy blonde wind mistress's voice.

Shikamaru sighed in grief before answering. "Uragi is most likely going to put together a large retrieval party to capture a former Hokage and a master medical-nin, and most likely he's going to want shinobi who have in-depth knowledge of the targets to predict their every move as closely as possible, especially Naruto's."

Temari got where this was going, "You think he's going to single out the Konoha 12, don't you?"

"Yeah…well, nine technically since Team 7 is obviously not here. But anyway, he's going to want the advantage that we all share from our bond with them to bring Naruto and Sakura back in."

"But there's no way the others are going to be on board with this, I know those Hyūga and Yamanaka girls are going to be crushed."

"This is why I know I can count on them to side with me on this. This isn't about bringing in a couple of criminals, this is about all of us finding our friends and figuring out the truth."

Temari began to worry about something else. "What about Shikadai?"

"What about him?"

"He's going to not have his father for who knows how long and how should I explain this to him?"

"Just tell him the truth. Tell him that his old man is going to bring the Hokage home not to bring him to justice but to learn the truth."

"He really is a lot like you, y'know," Temari said grinning. "Smart, loyal…" Shikamaru smirked hearing her say this, "lazy, unenthusiastic, doesn't respect rank very well, not even his own uncle…" And with that his smirk turned to a frown.

Temari noticed this and gave her husband an embrace. "Hey, you're right, he'll be fine. I'll still be watching out for him."

Shikamaru's smirk came back. "Thanks babe." He laid a quick peck on Temari's cheek. "You know, I always felt like I owed Naruto something. I know that your brothers weren't totally happy when you told then you wanted to transfer to the village to be with me, and I think Gaara only Okayed it because I was Naruto's friend and adviser."

Temari ruffled his hair a little bit and played with his goatee, "Well, I guess now's your chance to pay him back."

"I guess…God this is so-"

"Troublesome?" Temari finished his sentence for him, raising her own eyebrows in sarcasm while doing so.

Shikamaru only chuckled to himself and his embraced his wife and gave her a kiss, which she returned wrapping her arms around her.

"I love you, babe."

"I love you too. So, are you going to tell the guys now?"

"Yeah I guess so; might as well start with Chōji…"

* * *

><p>Chōji Akimichi, current head of the Akimichi clan, served and trained beside his best friend Shikamaru on Team Asuma. He too was a childhood friend of Naruto's as they were all among the "dead lasts" while students at the academy. As they grew up, Naruto became a good friend of Chōji's and would hang out with him for fun when not on missions. Growing up alongside Naruto, he got to see the future Hokage grow up both in mind and body, into a leader he would follow into battle anytime. There was no doubt in his mind that neither Naruto nor Sakura were traitors, but then again, who was he to argue with the official story of the village's top brass? Maybe there was just more going on here than he knew about? He trusted that Shikamaru could figure that one out.<p>

Chōji remembered how he parted ways with his wife after Naruto and Sakura's fugitive status was laid out…

* * *

><p>Karui turned to her husband and scolded him, "You're going to go after them, aren't you?"<p>

"Most likely, yeah; they're probably going to want people close to Naruto and Sakura to help bring them in."

"Do you really think that they've gone rogue?"

"No, no way. I've known Naruto since we were kids, he's a great guy; he's no traitor."

Karui stepped up to Chōji and placed a hand on his burly chest. "I want to come with you."

"No, I don't know if that's a good idea."

Karui was taken aback, "What's that supposed to mean? You telling me you don't think that your wife can measure up to the challenge. Samui-sensei taught me well; I was one of the best kunoichi in the Cloud Village before I ever even met you mister!"

"Oh trust me honey, I know how badass you are, I just get the feeling they may try singling out the Konoha 12 for this mission. Besides…"

"Besides _what_?"

"…I'm just thinking about Chōchō, that's all."

"Oh come on, she'll be fine. She's a very confident and self-assured young lady."

Chōji laughed, "Reminds me of someone else I know." Karui elbowed him hard. "Ow! Sorry!"

He then noticed Shikamaru walking his way, "Oh boy, I bet I know what he wants to talk about. Excuse me sweetie."

He was about to walk over to his best friend when he felt a tug on his arm pull him back, then a pair of hands cup his face as his wife planted a deep kiss right on his lips.

"Just promise you'll come back again, you big lug."

Chōji smirked, "It's a date!"

With that, the tall, burly, bearded shinobi spoke with his childhood friend, who shared with him his feelings about what was about to happen.

* * *

><p>Ino Yamanaka, current head of the Yamanaka clan and member of Konoha's Intelligence Division, third member of Team Asuma, and the third member of her generation's Ino-Shika-Chō Formation, had been best friends with Sakura Haruno since childhood. The pink haired girl had been bullied as a little girl due to her large forehead, and it was the young and popular Ino that came to her defense, giving her a red ribbon to draw attention away from her "Billboard Brow" and telling her that it was pointless to try and cover up her forehead. Ino was raised by her father to embody the meaning of the bush clover, to represent blunt and candid love and to treasure the bonds that she has with her friends. That is why, despite often bossing them around, she has always been close to both Shikamaru and Chōji and formed the classic bond of trust among their three clans that cannot be broken.<p>

It was this same treasuring of bonds that now made her regret all those years wasted fighting with Sakura over their shared crush on Sasuke Uchiha. "Ino-pig," as Sakura so often called her, had helped the pinkette gain her confidence to grow and reach the potential that she knew she always had deep down. But then, like so many other girls their age, Sakura became attracted to the raven-haired Uchiha and, upon learning that Ino was into him too, Sakura ended their friendship and started a bitter rivalry for his affections. It was not until after their fight during the Chūnin Exams that their friendship was at last rekindled, though they still seemed to bicker as often as ever on the surface.

Actually, Ino owed Sakura far more than she could ever repay because without her, she may not have the life she does now. When she was first introduced to Sakura's new teammate Sai, she found herself attracted to him, partially because something about him reminded her of Sasuke. When Sai had, not fully understanding, called Ino beautiful upon their first meeting, it sparked a slowly budding seed of affection for the pale-faced Anbu. After the war, following the loss of her father Inoichi, she had confided in Sakura that she had a crush on Sai, to which Sakura, in an optimistic effort to make amends with her old friend, set the two of them up on a blind date. As it turns out, the date went extremely well and both of them started dating after that, finally culminating in marriage with their son Inojin. If not for Sakura's actions, she may not have the family that she does now, and for that she would always be in Sakura's debt.

Sadly, her relationship with her best friend's husband, Naruto, was not nearly so positive in the beginning. Like Sakura herself, Ino used to think Naruto was a loser with no real potential, especially compared to Sasuke. However, then she got to see the boy's inner strength and unshakable resolve during the Chūnin Exams and that slowly helped him gain her respect and friendship. Hell, after his defeat of Pain she outright admitted that she could almost fall for the blonde if she wanted to. During the war, she also realize, through her father's ability to project people's thoughts into others, just how mighty Naruto's heart was as well.

Even since Naruto had returned from his training trip with Jiraiya, Ino had secretly championed him and Sakura getting together; in the beginning this was partially to get the pinkette off the competition for Sasuke, but primarily because she saw the deep bond that had formed between them and how much they really did have in common. She always knew that Naruto liked Sakura and she could tell, even if her best friend was too dense to see if for herself, that Sakura liked him too deep down. When they finally announced that they were dating Ino was ecstatic and, true to her sultry and flirtatious nature, saw fit to give Sakura all the relationship advice she could ever since, some of it less-than-appropriate in polite company.

Walking beside Ino was her husband, Sai, a former teammate and good friend of both Naruto and Sakura's in his own right. When he and Naruto first met they got off to a very rough start, because back then Sai had very limited understanding of human interaction and would constantly criticize the blonde for everything; that and his total lack of respect for both his and Sakura's bond with the traitorous Sasuke. But as their attempt to bring Sasuke home played out, the three of them did bond and they all became friends and teammates. In fact, Naruto reminded Sai a lot of his late brother Shin, so much so that the blonde inspired him to strive to become a more social individual, which proved to be just enough to impress the woman who would become his wife.

Neither of them could accept the truth of the mission they were about to undertake. Sai was quite sad that both Naruto and Sakura were branded fugitives, but poor Ino was brokenhearted over now having to bring in her own best friend. For his own part, Sai found himself in the same boat and Shikamaru, questioning a certain raven-haired former criminal that just so happened to now be in possession of his friend's son at this very moment of having something to do with all of this.

Sai recalled his efforts to comfort his wife just a while ago…

* * *

><p>The pale faced Anbu wrapped his arms around Ino as tears of grief flowed down her face.<p>

"Ino, beautiful, it's going to be alright."

"Alright? Alright?! Sai, that's my _best friend_ out there! Those are your _teammates_, your _friends_! Are you scared?!"

"…Yes. Yes, I am." Ino stared up at her husband upon hearing that. "As an Anbu and a former member of Root I was taught by Danzō never to show emotions for anyone. But this time…yes, I am afraid. I fear for them, for their son, for their daughter…But I also know that crying isn't going to fix anything, and so do you."

Ino continued staring for just a moment before she dried her eyes. "You're right; Billboard Brow would be ashamed of me if she saw me like this. Jeez, and it used to be that _she_ was the crybaby."

"Really, the Sakura I knew was always a ugly duckling with monster strength-"

Sai couldn't finish his sentence because his wife clobbered him over the head with her fist.

"Hey Mr. Tactless, that's no way to talk about you're wife's best friend, y'know!"

Sai rubbed the newly formed bruise on his head, "Gomen, gomen, I should have known better Beautiful."

…And that triggered a blush from the platinum blonde vixen. 'Damn it! Why do I always get flustered whenever he calls me that?!'

"Ino listen," Sai interrupted, "you and I both know that there's no way that Naruto and Sakura are betraying the village, but I think we both need to go after them to figure out what's really going on."

"Both of us? What about Inojin?"

"He can stay with Shikadai or Chōchō while we're gone; Temari or Karui can take care of him. Besides, he's old enough to know how to take care of himself."

"Yeah, he is; he's obedient, reasonable, professional, very motivated…but like you he can also be insensitive to others."

Sai was actually a bit flustered, "Well, he's managed to get along with the rest of his team so far."

Ino smirked, "Yeah, he's just lucky that Chōchō isn't insensitive about her weight. If he ever talked that way to her dad…" she suddenly grimaced as she pictured a very unfortunate fate for her little boy.

"Wait a minute," Ino realized, "Why did you say Temari or Karui? What makes you think they're not going?"

"My Anbu thinking; they're going to be looking for the ones who know Naruto and Sakura best to contribute something to the retrieval mission, which included both of us. Shikamaru is Naruto's adviser and both he and Chōji have been Naruto's friends since they were kids, right?"

"Yeah…strange, that sounds like the kind of thinking that Shikamaru would come up with."

"Speaking of whom, isn't that him and Chōji coming this way?"

"Yeah." Ino waved over to her old teammates who started heading their way. "Knowing him, Skikamaru's probably got a plan he wants to share with us, and I'm betting you two are on the same page."

"Maybe." Sai looked to his wife "we'll get Sakura and Naruto back; whatever's going on, we can help them."

"Arigato Sai," she took his hand. "Whatever happens, I've got your back…" The vixen suddenly got one of her flirtatious smirks on her face, "…stud."

Sai, even after over a decade of dating and marriage, could still be caught off guard by his wife's overly-developed sexual appetite. If he had a thousand ryo for every time he came home just to see her surprise him with a new piece of lingerie, roleplay or some sort of fetish, he'd be a very rich and _very_ lucky man…almost as lucky as Naruto, wherever he was now. Hence why he wasn't prepared for when she planted a passionate and sexy kiss on him…only stopping after her old teammates told them to go get a room.

* * *

><p>Rock Lee, once the star pupil of Might Guy, was a nobody who could not perform any ninjutsu or genjutsu techniques on any level whatsoever, and yet his goal was to become a splendid ninja.<p>

When Lee and Naruto first met, the two saw each other as rivals, partially on the level of shinobi and partially for the affections of Sakura, who, again, only had eyes for Sasuke back then. In their first encounter Lee was able to defeat the blonde, which in turn motivated Naruto to get even stronger to defeat opponents like "Bushy Brows." During the Chūnin Exams Lee recognized a desire in Naruto to prove to his teammate Neji Hyūga that his belief in a fixed, preset destiny was not true and that we are all free to make of our live what we wish. He also saw the passion in the boy's eyes that match if not rivaled his own. This led to a profound respect toward Naruto that has never wavered over time as each has seen each other as a friendly rival to one day defeat but also as a loyal ally and friend that can be counted on for anything. During the war, it was Naruto who helped give Lee the strength he needed to continue fighting in the wake of Neji's death. In fact, with Naruto's support, Lee played a notable role both in the severing of Madara and Obito's connections to the Ten-Tails and in landing the final blow against Obito. Naruto was always there for him when you needed him, and likewise, he wanted to be there for he future wife, Tenten, in her own grieving as well.

Somewhat like Shino, Tenten, Lee's former teammate on Team Guy, was not the closest of Naruto's inner circle of friends, but as the boy grew up she easily came to respect him as a comrade, and at times has even worried about the boy's safety. By the time he became Hokage she had tremendous respect for Naruto, even if that respect wasn't as overt and passionate as her husband's. But he did own Naruto one thing: when Neji died, it left the poor girl in a very dark place, and it was Naruto's support of Lee that in turn, motivated Lee to be there for her when she needed. Through that their bond was able to grow even stronger until eventually they each became husband and wife with one son.

There wasn't a shred of doubt in Lee's mind that neither Naruto nor Sakura were really what Odaku and the Council was claiming them to be. Naruto and he had grown too close as friends, and Sakura was like an angel to Lee for the majority of his childhood. He was always happy for the two of them when they started dating and especially when they got married; despite all the battles they waged to win her affections, if he had to loose her to anyone, he was grateful that it at least it was to someone like Naruto. Tenten couldn't be quite as sure as him, but she supported her husband and knew that their friends needed to be found, for their own sake if nothing else.

Lee remembered the agreement made between him and Tenten when all of this started…

* * *

><p>"Lee, I know that you're thinking and I want to go with you."<p>

"YOSH! But Tenten, what about Burandon, he will have no to-"

"That boy's hot-blooded and determined beyond recourse just like his father. He can take care of himself; we've both made sure of that. Now no arguments; you're my husband and I'm with you."

Lee smiled, "It fills me with delight when the two of us agree on something."

"Shut up and come here."

The taijutsu master and the weapons mistress embraced in a passionate kiss, only breaking up when they heard a cough from beside them. They turned see Shikamaru, Chōji, Ino and Sai standing near them.

* * *

><p>Shino Aburame, member of the Aburame clan, member of the former Team 8, later renamed Team Kurenai after their sensei Kurenai Yūhi, and currently an instructor at the Academy, was not the closest of Naruto's inner circle of friends, starting off believing him to be just a talentless troublemaker with no real future ahead of him. But despite that he become impressed with the blonde's progression, admitting by the time of the war that he had surpassed all of them and that he needed no reason to follow Naruto's leadership.<p>

And yet, even though Shino did not want to believe what was being told to them about his Hokage, he still found his mind wandering: in the last few days he has sent his son, only a Genin and one of Shino's favorite, and most troublesome, students on a solo mission to find a previously unknown artifact of immense power with only a reformed S-class criminal as his guide. If Naruto's was wiling to do something like that, then who's to say what else he might do? The insect master wasn't being negative, merely keeping his mind open to every possibility.

Kiba Inuzuka, member of the Inuzuka clan and fellow member of Team Kurenai along with his canine partner Akamaru currently at his side was, like Naruto, Shikamaru and Chōji, considered a "dead last" during his time at the Academy. But unlike the two best friends from Team Asuma, Kiba's friendship with Naruto began more as a rivalry. He found Naruto to be a loser and ridiculed his dream of one day becoming Hokage, even declaring that he was a better candidate. But after Naruto defeated him in the Chūnin Exams, in a very humiliating way mind you, the boy had earned his respect, even if they did constantly challenge each other over their own skill sets-even so, Kiba was always amazed at how well Naruto was able to keep up with him.

Unlike his pondering former teammate, there was no doubt in Kiba's mind that everything he was hearing about Naruto and his wife was complete bullshit! He has gone through so much and worked so hard to earn the life he had now that there was no way he would blow it now, much less take his family down with her. Besides…he needed to be there for Hinata.

Kiba now had to turn to his very depressed wife. If Ino was feeling brokenhearted over what they would now have to do against their old friends, then Hinata Hyūga was feeling far, far worse. As heiress to the prestigious Hyūga clan, member of the Team Kurenai and her sensei's most prized pupil, she was regarded as one of the most powerful kunoichi in the Hidden Leaf Village…although she certainly did not start out that way.

Despite hailing from such a powerful clan, Hinata was plagued from the beginning by a terrible sense of shyness and lack of confidence in her own abilities. Because of this, her father, Hiashi Hyūga, determined that the girl was not suited to become heir to the clan's main house, favoring her younger sister Hanami instead. After the failed attempt of a head ninja from Kumogakure to capture Hinata for her Byakugan ultimately to the death of her uncle, and subsequently a deep-rooted scorn from her cousin Neji, the girl then lost a duel with her own sister that was organized to determine whether Hinata really was worthy of the clan. This meekness and lack of confidence may have consumed her forever had she not caught sight of an ostracized boy named Naruto Uzumaki. His enthusiasm and unyielding determination in spite of all the pressures and neglect he had been forced to live under were an inspiration to her, motivating Hinata to better herself and train hard to become as strong a ninja as him, to stand side-by-side with him.

Hinata was one of the first of her peers to not see Naruto as a monster but as a lost boy with big dreams that desperately wanted to be acknowledged. She would always cheer for him from afar, being far too shy to ever approach him outright. Naruto, naturally, remained blind to these feelings, but always admired her desire to change herself and be acknowledged just as he was. But as they each grew older, Hinata's feelings evolved from admiration to her falling in love with the blonde. During Pain's destruction of the village, she confessed her feelings before nearly loosing her life in battle, which sent Naruto into a rage that almost caused him to loose his soul forever to the Nine-Tails. During the war, after poor Neji gave his life to save them both from the Ten-Tails, Naruto found himself loosing hope and giving in to Obito's world view, it was Hinata who reminded him of his nindō and restored his confidence. He was always indebted to her for that.

After the war, Naruto found himself growing distant from Sakura, feeling that with Sasuke finally back home that she would want to spend her time with him instead. So, remembering her confession, he decided to try and move on and asked Hinata out for a date. It was like a dream come true for the heiress…but she was no fool. She knew that Naruto was not over his feeling for Sakura, nor was Sakura over her budding feelings for him. She confronted him about this and the response she received disgusted her. He had said that he was giving up on her, that he needed to force himself to move on and give up his own happiness if it meant letting Sakura have hers.

_SLAP!_

That was the hard sound made as Hinata's palm made contact with Naruto's face. This person, this self-doubting _thing_ that was just giving up on what he always wanted was _not_ the same boy that she fell in love with! The Naruto she loved hated whenever anyone lied to themselves, and yet that was _exactly_ what he was doing now, she didn't need a kekki genki to see it!

And that's when she knew…she needed to let him go. Regardless of whatever a future with him would have been, if it meant seeing him bury his true feeling and live a lie with her for the rest of his life…then that was no way to live at all, for either of them.

She told him this, with an anger and emotion she had rarely, if ever, shown before and ironically that was exactly what he needed to hear to rekindle his real feelings. Things were said, thank you were made, hugs given in gratitude, and when he and Sakura did finally end up together, surprisingly she felt no regret about it at all, only happiness; much like Lee, she was happy that if anybody else was going to be with Naruto, thank goodness it was Sakura, someone she knew he loved. And sure enough, she and Sakura became stronger friends as a result; much like Naruto, it just wasn't like Hinata to hold a grudge against anybody.

It may have been rough at first, seeing the two of them together, but thank goodness Kiba was there to soothe her pain. And sure enough, the bond they shared together somehow led to something more…

The Hyūga heiress, walking with her husband's arm wrapped around her, was in deep thought over the discussion they had just a short while earlier…

* * *

><p>Kiba saw that Hinata was crying, and he wasn't the least bit surprised. He wrapped his arms around his wife in a tight embrace.<p>

"Shhh…" Kiba whispered soothing her. "Its okay, it's okay. Listen, I don't know what the hell is going on, but I can promise you that Naruto and Sakura aren't responsible-"

"I know," Hinata choked out.

"What?"

"I already know that there's no way Naruto or Sakura did what they are saying they did. The man I used to admire isn't capable of this."

"Then why are you crying so hard sweetie?"

"I'm just-I'm just…" Hinata broke down again. "I'm just scared. What's going to happen now? To them? To Shina? To Hanami? To any of us?!"

Kiba wasn't proud of it, but he felt himself getting angry with himself now. "Hey, settle down! Hinata, you need to be strong! For all of us you need to be strong, just like the girl I fell in love with who found the will to prove herself and overcome anything."

"But Kiba-"

"What would Naruto say if he saw you like this?!"

That did it. That was just what she needed. That was all it took to keep the White Eye Princess from falling back into her self doubt.

'Kiba's right; Naruto wouldn't want to see me like this…just like I didn't want to see him the way I did the one time we went out…Oh God, I'm doing it again.'

"I'm sorry Kiba."

"You don't have to apologize. I know that you're worried about Nar-"

"No, I mean I'm sorry that I'm thinking about him again. I don't know how you put up with me sometimes; it's not fair to you."

"Because I know how much he meant to you and that no matter how much we've been through together I can never inspire you like he d-"

The canine shinobi was silenced as a pair of hands grabbed his face and a set of lips clasped onto his own. Kiba, ever the animal he was, was quick to consume her lips with his own in passion. Neither of them knew how long they were like that, maybe a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.

After they broke apart, Hinata smiled warmly at him. "Silly, you just did inspire me."

"Hinata, I-"

"Shhh…now you listen to me, you're my husband and I love you. You're right, I do care about Naruto; I'd follow him into Hell if he asked me…But I'm in love with you Kiba; never doubt me about that." She planted another quick kiss on his lips. "And that's why I want you to come with me to go find Naruto and Sakura."

"Say what?!"

"That's right! Our friends are out there and they need our help. Naruto would never give up on us, and now we need to be there for both him and Sakura! Now, are you coming with me or not?"

"Damn right I am! ...But what about the kids?"

"I'll talk with my sister; I'm sure she won't mind watching them. If she can't do it, then I'll ask Kurenai-sensei."

"Your sure sensei can handle Ōkami; he can be quite a short tempered animal."

"Just like his father," Hinata smirked cutely. "Sensei could handle you; she'll do fine with him. Besides, Tsuki will be well-mannered, so it won't be all that."

"Yeah," Kiba agreed. "That girl's sweet, polite, kind of quiet, but she's got a wolf's passion in her heart…just like her mom."

Hinata blushed. "Thank you. So, is this just going to be the two of us?"

"Make that the three of us."

They both turned to the source of the voice to find their old teammate, Shino, standing next to them.

"Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing."

"N-No, it's okay Shino," Hinata said.

"Hey man," Kiba asked, "what did you mean you'd come with us?"

"Exactly what I said; listen, something about all of this isn't adding up, and I think we can all agree that the only way we are going to get answers is if we find Naruto and Sakura."

What do you mean something isn't right?" asked Kiba.

"I mean that in the last few days Naruto has sent his son on a solo mission to find some unknown artifact of immense power with only Sasuke, a reformed S-class criminal as his guide. And now he and his wife suddenly flee from the village for reasons we don't know about-"

"STOP IT!" Hinata yelled. "Don't you dare even think like that! Naruto and Sakura would never betray this village, you _know_ that!" Shino could swear that he could see Hinata activate her Byakugan for emphasis.

"Gomen, that was inappropriate. I only mean that there are questions that need answering is all."

"It's alright Shino," said Hinata, "But what about your son, or your students?"

"Bagu is in good hands with my wife; the boy's calm and serious-minded like me-"

"And creepy!" Hinata elbowed Kiba. "Ow!"

"And as for my students," Shino continued, "they have plenty of substitutes to fill in for me until we get back…And it looks like we're not the only one's plotting a retrieval mission; look whose heading our way."

They turned to see Shikamaru, Chōji, Ino, Sai, Lee and Tenten heading towards them…

* * *

><p>The company of nine Jōnin had made it to the village gate, all packed and in their shinobi attire for their latest mission.<p>

Odaku was waiting for them at the gate. "Good, all of you are here. I'm certain that none of you are having second thoughts about this, yes?"

The nine friends all exchanged glances at one another; all of them knowing their true objective was merely to find their friends and try to get answers, not to apprehend a pair of criminals…Still, they all agreed that it was probably for the best that Odaku, their leader for this mission, _not_ be made aware of their real plan.

Odaku took their silence as confirmation. "Alright then; let's head out!"

With that, the company of ten set out from the village gates to complete their mission. All but one of them had the same thought on their minds:

'Naruto…Sakura…hang in there you guys; we're all coming for you.'

* * *

><p>It was evening in Konoha, the lights of the village shined brightly as the hustle and bustle of the both the old village and the metropolis that rose above the mighty Hokage Monument knew now sleep.<p>

But it was just outside the gates, on Training Ground 7, that seven children gathered together, all of whom were supposed to be asleep in their respective guardian's homes right now.

Within this company of seven there was: a boy with pale white skin, green eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair with a small ponytail, garbed in a black collarless suit with mesh armor underneath and grey stud earrings; a boy with narrow, dark green eyes and black, spiky hair tied up in a ponytail resembling a pineapple, wearing a dark outfit with a light-colored jacket over it and grey stud earrings; a chubby girl with dark-skin, amber eyes, brown hair that she wears in two spiky ponytails with the rest flowing into her back and bangs covering her left eye, wearing a sleeveless red shirt with white pants and grey stud earrings; A boy with black eyes and black hair kept in a bowl-style cut, garbed in a garish green jumpsuit, hand bandages, and orange leg warmers; a creepy-looking, fair-skinned boy with dark brown hair and his eyes concealed behind dark, round sunglasses, wearing black pants and a dark green jacket with an upturned collar; and two siblings, the brother having white eyes, dark blue hair, red marks painted on his face, small fang-like teeth, wearing a grey sweatshirt and brown pants, and a little brown puppy renting in his shoulder, while the sister looked exactly the same, except that she had brown hair tied up in two ponytails on opposite sides of her head.

"Okay Shikadai," said Inojin, "you called us all out here, so what's going on?"

"Yeah," Chōchō concurred, "my mom's not gonna be happy is she finds out I slipped out after dark to see you guys."

"Yeah, yeah," the Nara boy replied, "Sorry you guys; I wouldn't have called you all out here for something so troublesome if I didn't feel it was important."

"So hurry up and tell us what it is already, or else I'm going back to bed!" Ōkami shouted.

"Onii-chan, "Tsuki pleaded with a tinge of shyness, "please calm down and let Shika tell us why he's here."

"Okay look," Shikadai continued, "as we all know, our Hokage and his wife, Shinachiku and Hanami's parents, have fled the village as fugitives and our parents have all been selected to go track them down."

"Yeah. And?" Inojin pointed out rudely.

"And, just the day before than Shinachiku leaves on a private mission with Sarada's dad. I don't think this is coincidence."

"Are you suggesting that Lord Seventh and Sasuke Uchiha are working in cahoots?" Bagu asked.

"Of course not! My dad is Naruto's adviser and my uncle is one of his closest friends, so I know he's a great man who'd never betray his village, nor would his wife."

"So what do you think is going on?" Bagu asked.

"I think…that the real enemy is within the village, and that Shinachiku is being set up."

All of the children gasped at this.

"Dear me, then we must make haste and unearth this conspiracy and then track down our comrade with great haste!" Burandon yelled with tremendous, err, youthfulness.

"No Burandon," Shikadai said, "we can't go after them without our parent's and guardians knowing about it. And if I'm right, then this enemy, whoever they are, may put us all on lockdown from any activity out of the village, if they're not all watching what we're doing right now!"

"So what are you suggesting?" Chōchō asked.

"I'm suggesting…that we go undercover and investigate this for ourselves."

"How?" Ōkami asked, "We're just a bunch of ragtag Genin. What can we do?"

"Just remember you guys, every great ninja in history, our parent's included, started out as nothing more than what we are now…students, Genin, kids. If they can do it, why not us?"

There was a cold silence among the whole group as they considered what the Nara was saying.

"So what is your plan?" asked Burandon.

"Well, that's what I invited us all out here to figure out tonight. With Shinachiku and Sarada gone, we may be the best ones to find out the truth now that our parents are off looking for Shinachiku and Hanami's parents-"

"Hey wait," Tsuki shouted, "where is Hanami? I haven't seen her since…"

Everyone stopped dead in shock. Hanami, wherever she was, had not been seen since her parent's disappeared.

"You don't think…" Chōchō couldn't finish her sentence.

"They're using her as bait just in case as a means to lure Naruto and Sakura back to the village," Inojin surmised.

"Most likely, Shikadai concurred. "Okay guys, this isn't just an investigation anymore, it's also a rescue mission…and it starts tomorrow."

* * *

><p>That does it for another chapter, hope you liked it.<p>

The only reference I drew upon this time was for Shikadai's line about why the kids can't live up to the standards set by their parents, which I paraphrased from a similar line that Harry Potter says while training Dumbledore's Army within the Room of Requirement in the film "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

I hope I've continued to wet your appetite for more and, feel free to share your own ideas about where you think this story should go next.

Until next time, cheers!


	12. Chapter 12--In Hiding and Pulling Pranks

Hey everybody, thesaiyanjedi is back with another chapter update!

For this chapter, I want to issue a little warning in advance because this one may not be my best work. For one thing, the tone is constantly shifting from dramatic, to emotional, to comedic. Also, there is a joke made at the expense of one of the characters that might irritate certain readers. I will also be doing something I have not done in a while and include songs in this chapter.

I had originally planned to cover all four of the current story lines in this chapter, but that just didn't flow the way I would have liked it. So instead, I am going to devote this chapter to the first generation, meaning that it will focus both on Naruto and Sakura's life on the lam and on their friends trying to find them, while the next chapter will catch us up on Shinachiku and Sasuke as they continue on towards the Hidden Eddy Village and on his friends trying to find Hanami.

I would also like to remind any NaruSaku artists that may be reading this that I am open to allowing illustrations based on this story. I do already have one image in my head of a recreation of the cover page for Chapter 515 of the manga, only this time with the characters in their fully-grown adult looks seen in Chapter 700 with two critical differences: first, all of them are dressed like they are ready to go into battle and kick ass, and second, Naruto and Sakura are both in the center of the image together.

In speaking of fanart, I've got a little treat for all of you. I have composed a series of rough floor plans for the Uzumaki household, which you can view at the following URLs. I hope you all enjoy looking at them: (NOTE: All of the below URLs can be found on thesaiyanjedi's deviantart page:)

. art/Naruasku-Family-House-Floorplan-Outdoors-509873355

. art/Naruasku-Family-House-Floorplan-Floor-1-509874960

. art/Naruasku-Family-House-Floorplan-Floor-2-509875593

. art/Naruasku-Family-House-Floorplan-Floor-3-509875823

. art/Naruasku-Family-House-Floorplan-Basement-509875978

I also realize that a lot of you are probably anxious to read about the moment Naruto and Sakura began their relationship in the first place. Believe me, I would love to write that, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if it would be even stronger if I spun it off into it's own separate story, similar to what I did with "An Uzumaki Family Christmas." Tell me what you guys think if you don't mind.

Well, with all of that said, lets get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: In Hiding and Pulling Pranks<strong>

It was getting dark; the sun was setting in the west. A pair of hooded strangers had been heading northwards, leaping from tree to tree, for the entire night. Because of their hoods, naturally, now one would be able to guess who this pair of hooded individuals was. It was only if they were lucky that they would be able to see the blonde and pink locks of the two strangers.

The two of them stopped on the forest floor, close the northern border of the Land of Fire.

"Naruto," asked the pink haired stranger, "It's getting late. I think we may need to find a place to rest for the night."

"Yeah, you may be right," responded the blonde haired stranger. "If I remember right, I think that there's a small village just ahead, we can maybe find an inn to rest in tonight if we both go by assumed names."

"What if somebody recognizes us?"

"Let me worry about that if it comes up."

The couple made it to the village by nightfall. By that time it had started raining in that part of the Fire Country so there weren't very many civilians outdoors after dark. Those people that were out appeared less than savory, to say the least. Because of the rain, the dirt road running through the small village was soaking wet, splashing mud over the tail ends of their hoods and clothes. It was the kind of village where people would go to hide if they didn't wish to be found, and yet both of them felt like eyeballs were watching their every move nonetheless. It wasn't helped by the size of the few buildings there were in this place, tall enough to make two strangers on the run feel as though they were looming in over them.

Naruto and Sakura made it to the inn soon enough, both rushing inside to get out of the rain. Though they were relieved to get indoors, both of them knew better than to take off their hoods. Naruto, keeping his head as low as he could to hide his face, approached the innkeeper at his desk as several of the other guests, many of them clearly drunk, stocked around the 1st floor pub.

"Excuse me, sir?" Naruto called to the innkeeper.

"Good evening master sir," the innkeeper said in a polite manner to his newest guest. "How may I be of service this evening?"

"My wife and I would like a room for the night. Just a place to stay before we head out again tomorrow morning."

"Oh of course sir. Always a pleasure to welcome new guests. Are you two passing through on your honeymoon by any chance?"

Both of them blushed in some childish sense of embarrassment.

"Ah, no, no we're not; already had our honeymoon," Sakura interrupted, keeping her own hood low as well to avoid recognition.

"Oh I see, so is this a vacation of some sort then?"

Naruto answered this time, "Let's just say that we decided that we both needed to get out of town for a little while and now we need to pay a visit to an old friend."

The innkeeper noticed the tone of Naruto's voice and figured he shouldn't press the issue any further. "Very good sir. Now then," the innkeeper got out the ledger to check both of them in, "we currently have a room large enough for two upstairs, one bed for couples, if you catch my meaning. It's 200 ryo each for one night's stay, and I shall need to know both of your names."

Husband and wife only glanced at each other for just a moment. "My name is…" Naruto had to think really hard, but only for a moment as he went with the first name that came to his mind. "…Minato. Yes, Minato…Sarutobi. And this is my wife…Kushina."

"Hmm," the innkeeper contemplated, "you know, you two have the exact same first names as the Fourth Hokage and his wife."

"Yeah…we get that a lot."

The innkeeper took both of their names down and gave them the key to their room as Naruto paid him 400 ryo. "Alright sir, you're both signed in. Your room in 203 upstairs, and feel free to come down for food and drink any time you wish…But please try to keep any late night festivities to a minimum, these walls are only so thick."

The couple blushed again, this time much deeper red than before.

"T-Thank you for you hospitality," Sakura stuttered out, a vein appearing on her forehead. 'Jeez! Even when I'm on the lam and using an assumed name I _still_ can't escape it!'

They were both about the head upstairs when they noticed a pair of posters hanging on the wall. They were wanted posters, with their faces on them!

"Nar-Minato!" Sakura whispered under her breath sharply to get his attention. She pointed him to the wanted posters.

'Oh _shit_!' That was the first thought that popped into the former Hokage's mind.

"Yeah, real shame," the innkeeper said. "The Seventh Hokage was the hero of the entire Fire Country only a day ago, and today it's all over the news that he and his wife have withheld information pivotal to the survival of his village and the both get branded as traitors. Word has it that their son is out there somewhere on a mission right now; poor kid probably has no idea about any of this yet."

Poor Sakura hung her head low, really low; fighting every urge in her body to let her tears fall again. 'Shinachiku…Hanami…what you must think about us. Mark my words we're going to fix this, and then your parents are coming for both of you.'

Naruto wasn't feeling much better. 'When Shinachiku hears about this he's going to be devastated. And Hanami…no, no I don't ever want to think about what she's going through right now! Just hang in there kids, mom and dad are going to get to the bottom of this, and then we're going to find both of you, that's a promise of a lifetime!'

"Umm…folks? Are you two alright?"

The innkeeper's question snapped both of them out of their funk.

"Oh, sorry about that." Naruto said. "Say, is there a reward out on the Hokage and his wife?"

"Looking to collect, huh? Get in line, nearly everyone in here has got their eyes on that reward."

Naruto stole a very quick glace at the rough, dirty, unkempt mugs on all of the bar patrons around them, some of them looking pretty heavily armed.

"How much?"

"The bingo book has Uzumaki listed at 40,000,000,000 ryo.

"_WHAT?!"_

Sakura stepped in to stop her husband before he did anything to break their cover. "Forgive him, he's just shocked that the bounty is so high; he's an easily excitable doofus that way."

"Oh, it's understandable; we all think that bounty is immense. Heck, his wife is listed at 30,000,000,000 ryo."

"_WHAT?!"_

Now it was Naruto's turn to stop his wife from blowing their cover. "Sorry about her, she's been known to get emotional too when she gets excited. We'll just go up to our room now. Thanks for everything."

"You're most welcome my masters," said the innkeeper. "And please, let me know if there is anything else you require. Complementary breakfast is served at 8 am."

"Thank you!" was all Naruto said as he and Sakura went upstairs.

As soon as they were out of eyesight, the innkeeper turned to his assistant.

"Was it them?" the assistant asked.

"Oh definitely; those cloaks they were wearing weren't fooling anybody."

"You'd think that a couple of shinobi like them would be better at covering their tracks and keeping a low profile."

"Normally they probably are, but I guess they're both a bit…off right now, as if too much is on their minds to the point that their judgment is in whack…or some crap like that, I don't know."

"Should we apprehend them now?"

"Are you kidding? An ex-Hokage and a master medical ninja? Even the toughest guys here would be dead before they made a move."

"So how are we going to collect the reward then?"

The innkeeper thought about it for a moment. "There's a Leaf Village Anbu who has often stayed here while on black ops missions before. Let me send a message to him; word has it that he's leading a retrieval mission to capture those two. I'm sure he'll put in a good word to the village and make sure we get paid."

"What about them?" the assistant gestured upstairs.

"For now be vigilant, but don't make a move; we can't let them know we suspect them of anything."

* * *

><p>Up in their room, Naruto was removing his cloak as Sakura sat on the bed, her cloak already off.<p>

"Way to nearly blow our cover, _Minato!_"

"Oh sorry, _Kushina_, but I wasn't the only one who lost their shit out there at the moment they found out they had a massive bounty on their head…And don't yell at me for saying this out loud because I already put a silencing jutsu on the room so nobody can hear us!"

"Well, at least that's _one_ smart thing you've done since we got here!" Sakura rubbed her forehead in frustration. "I mean, really, you gave us your _parent's_ names, and the Third's last name, and you didn't think that may attract attention?!"

"Sorry, okay! I said the first thing that came into my head!"

"Well next time, _I'm_ coming up with the aliases!"

"Fine, by all means! Just don't come to me for any more good ideas."

"_Good ideas?_ It was _your_ idea to hide that damn scroll of yours that has everyone after us in the first place!"

"Was that why? Or could it have been because _you_ decided to study that blue serum you pumped out of that man?"

"I was saving somebody's life!"

"And I was working to discover a secret to secure the safety of you, the kids, and this entire village!"

"Secure our kid's safety?! Are you kidding?! You're the one who told Sasuke it was okay to let him take our son of some wild goose chase after he shows up at our house from totally nowhere!"

"I didn't see _you_ putting your foot down when I agreed to that!"

"As if there is any hope in stopping you from doing anything once you set your mind on it!"

"Is that the reason, or is it because you couldn't bring yourself to say no to _him_?!"

Sakura stood up in defiance at that accusation. "Excuse me?! _What_ did you just say?!"

"You heard what I said! Ever since we were kids you've always sided with Sasuke about everything and never gave a _damn_ about me! Even after all this time I…I…"

And with that, Naruto Uzumaki, the Child of Prophecy, Seventh Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, broke down and cried, _hard_.

Sakura could only stand there and watch at what she was seeing. A minute ago both of them were yelling at each other at the top of their lungs, the worst fight they've had in a long time. Then her husband accuses her of still having feelings for their best friend, even after all this time. And now here he was balling his eyes out for seemingly no reason.

"N-Naruto?" Sakura tried to get his attention, every ounce of anger she had just a moment ago now completely wiped away and replaced with worry and fear.

She didn't get any response, save for his continued sobbing and shaking his own head still in his hands, anything he could do to avoid making eye contact with her.

"Naruto, please, I'm sorry for what I said. I don't know what I was thinking. I've just been so angry and frustrated and scared that I-"

"I'm a fool."

Sakura stopped when she heard this. "W-What?"

Naruto barely gained enough of his composure back to make what he was saying clear. "I used to have nightmares. I had almost everything I ever wanted: I was Hokage, yes, but more important I had you, the kids, our friends, Sasuke back home, all that stuff…I would get these dreams where all of that was a lie. You weren't with me, the kids were gone, Sasuke was gone, I wasn't Hokage, my friends were all against me…And now all of it is happening! In just one day I've lost almost everything and everyone I love…Now I'm afraid…I can't…" Naruto turned to Sakura, his face stained with tears. "…I _can't_ loose you too."

Sakura wrapped her arms tightly around her man, whispering soothing noises in his ear. "You will never loose me Naruto, _never_. Your fears aren't coming true; we can fix all of this, _together_." She paused only for a moment. "I told you a long time ago that my feelings for Sasuke weren't what they were before. I don't know what my life would have been if I had chosen to marry him, but I know that, whatever that life may have been, it could never equal what you've given me. You've given me your heart, your devotion, your love every day of our lives and I'm ashamed that it took me so long to see it."

She looked her husband straight in the eyes. "I'm in love with you Naruto, and I don't care what anybody says or anybody does, _nothing_ is ever going to change that!"

Naruto, all his manliness be damned, couldn't stop himself from hugging his wife as if he were never going to let her go. Sakura held him as he let the last of his grief out, running her hand through his golden locks.

She didn't know what came over her, but she remembered a song that her mother would sing to her when she was a little girl:

_Come stop your crying, it will be alright__  
><em>_just take my hand, hold it tight__  
><em>_I will protect you from all around you__  
><em>_I will be here, don't you cry__  
><em>_For one so small you seem so strong__  
><em>_My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm__  
><em>_This bond between us, can't be broken__  
><em>_I will be here, don't you cry_

_Cause you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_Yes you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_From this day on, now and forever more_

_You'll be in my heart__  
><em>_No matter what they say__  
><em>_You'll be here in my heart always..._

_Why can't they understand the way we feel?__  
><em>_They just don't trust, what they can't explain__  
><em>_I know we're different but, deep inside us__  
><em>_We're not that different at all_

_Cause you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_Yes you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_From this day on, now and forever more_

_Don't listen to them, what do they know?__  
><em>_We need each other to have to hold__  
><em>_They'll see in time...I know...__  
><em>_When destiny calls you, you must be strong (you gotta be strong)__  
><em>_I might not be with you, but you got to hold on__  
><em>_They'll see in time...I know...__  
><em>_We'll show them together_

_Cause you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_Yes you'll be in my heart__  
><em>_From this day on, now and forever more_

_You'll be in my heart (you'll be here in my heart)__  
><em>_No matter what they say (I'll be with you)__  
>Y<em>_ou'll be here in my heart (I'll be there) always...__  
>A<em>_lways...I'll be with you__  
>I<em>_'ll be there for you always, always and always__  
>J<em>_ust look over your shoulder__  
>J<em>_ust look over your shoulder__  
>J<em>_ust look over your shoulder__  
>I<em>_'ll be there always..._

Naruto looked up at his wife, entranced at what she had just sung to him. She smiled warmly at him.

"I love you, Sakura," Naruto said, his hope and happiness restored.

Sakura was herself becoming overwhelmed with joy. "I love you too, Naruto, so, so very much."

With that, their lips met in a soft, yet blissful kiss. There was no lust, no raw passion behind it, just honest, pure, true love. Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, and neither of them cared.

They had no idea what was in store for their future, but they did know one thing beyond any doubt: whatever was out there, they would get through it the same way they always gotten through everything…together.

* * *

><p>"Alright, everybody stop and listen up!" Odaku commanded. "I've just received an e-mail from an innkeeper in a village near the northern border of the Fire Country. He says that our targets have checked into his inn for the night. Our plan is to continue on into the night until we reach the village; attack them both while they are still in their room. Remember, use of deadly force is authorized."<p>

"Excuse me Captain," Sai interrupted, "but I thought that this was a retrieval mission. Doesn't Councilman Uragi want us to bring the fugitives in alive?"

"If we can help it, yes. But remember Captain Sai, as well as the rest of you, that these are two very skilled and powerful criminals we are dealing with. They will not show you any mercy, so we cannot afford to show them any ourselves. If we are forced to take out the targets in order to complete our mission then so be it."

"But Captain," Lee said, "what of the so-called withheld information that Naruto and Sakura are carrying? If we kill either of them won't that information be lost?"

Odaku noticed an uncharacteristic smugness in Rock Lee's tone, as if he was actively trying to call him out on his own contradictions. His reaction to this was to walk right up to Lee and get in his face.

"Rock Lee, I have been appointed leader of this mission by the councilman himself. Are you questioning my authority on this matter? Because if so I can file a report to the council and have you taken off missions of any kind for the next six months."

Lee remained silent and unblinking for about a second, "No captain; forgive me."

"That's what I thought."

As Odaku turned to walk back to the front of the group, Lee looked over at all of his friends. All of them knew that they needed to do something to prevent Odaku from using deadly force on their two friends.

"Inuzuka," Odaku called out, "does your mutt still have Uzumaki and Haruno's scent?"

Kiba gritted his teeth, "His name's Akamaru."

"Whatever; does he have their scent or not?"

Kiba glanced to his wife, than they both got an idea.

"Yeah, he does, but…"

"But what?"

"But Akamaru's been running all day and he looks to be getting tired captain," said Hinata, who got on her knees and started scratching the underside of Akamaru's chin, much to the large dog's enjoyment. "Maybe it's for his own good that we make camp for a while and continue our pursuit later, that way we can intercept the targets when they've barely awoken the next morning."

"No Lady Hyūga, we cannot give them any opening to escape. Even the slightest window of time could give them an advantage that we cannot afford."

"With all do respect captain, I have to agree with Lady Hinata," Shino added, catching on to what they were doing, as was everyone else. "We've been running all day and the company is becoming fatigued, whereas Naruto still has the stamina of a jinchūriku and Sakura is a master healer, so who knows what kinds of stimulants and food pills she may have on her."

"Yeah, I don't think we'll stand much of a chance unless we all get some rest first," said Ino.

"Not to mention those of us who are dying of hunger right now," Chōji quipped.

"And besides, some of us are carrying an entire arsenal of weapons on our backs," said Tenten, "A little time to take the weight off and stretch would do some good."

Odaku groaned, "Bunch of lazy, good-for-nothing slackers! Nara, you're supposed to be the genius here, what's your opinion?"

Shikamaru quickly gave his answer. "Honestly captain, there's not much I can add. They've got some valid points. I say the best thing we can do is catch a few hours rest and then hustle to the village by sunrise."

Sai, in a very uncharacteristic moment, turned to Odaku with a smirk. "It would seem that you have been outvoted, Captain Odaku."

Odaku put him head down in disbelief, "Fine. Everybody take a rest for about three hours. But after that, we press on and we don't stop until we make it to that village. Is that understood?"

"HAI!" they all shouted.

The Jōnin made camp, which was mostly just their sleeping bags, and plotted what the next move should be.

"Hey Hinata, Kiba, great distraction back there," praised Tenten.

"Thanks," Kiba said, "anything it takes to keep Uragi's hired goon from slaughtering Naruto and Sakura in their sleep…" The Inuzuka then realized what he had just said out loud, "Sorry honey."

"No, it's okay," said Hinata, "I just hope we bought them enough time."

"Most likely," Shikamaru interrupted. "Naruto's not the same idiot that he used to be; they'll probably sneak out before the sun rises tomorrow morning."

"Are you certain old dickless isn't still an idiot?" Sai countered. "Because I just spoke with Odaku and he told me the aliases that the innkeeper claims Naruto used to check himself and Sakura into his establishment."

"Oh, and what might that be?" Chōji asked curiously.

"The innkeeper has their first names listed as 'Minato and Kushina.'"

Everybody groaned in embarrassment at their Hokage's idiotic choice of aliases, and a few of them even slapped their own foreheads for good measure.

"What an IDIOT!" Ino shouted.

"Jeez, how conspicuous can you be?!" Shikamaru protested. "This is so troublesome."

"Whatever guys, lets just get what rest we can until Odaku decides its time to head out again," Shino said.

And so the company rested, all hoping that their friends had enough time to get out of there by morning.

* * *

><p>It was 7 am that morning, and the company arrived as early as humanly possible. Odaku approached the front desk and the innkeeper instantly recognized him.<p>

"Odaku, thank you for coming," the innkeeper said.

"Thank you for reporting in." Odaku then leaned in and whispered something that none of his team could hear.

He then pulled back, "So where are the targets now."

"They are up in room 203; haven't left their room yet."

"Alright team, this is it" Odaku addressed the others. "Be prepared for anything, they may try to trick us!"

With that, everyone got their kunai ready and proceeded upstairs. They instantly gathered around the door to the room.

"Lady Hyūga," Odaku called out, "are the targets inside?"

"Let me see…BYAKUGAN!"

Hinata activated her kekki genki in order to see through the walls of the room.

"Two targets, one male, one female…" Hinata didn't want to say what she was about to. "…Hai captain, it appears to be Lord Hokage and his wife."

"Thank you m'lady." Odaku thanked her in a, frankly, thankless tone. "Alright everyone, on the count of three. One…Two…THREE!"

Odaku kicked the door in with all his strength, and charged in, kunai at the ready.

"FREEZE!"

Naruto and Sakura were there, just as Hinata said. Neither of them made a move.

"Put your hands where I can see them!"

Both of them did so.

"Lord Hokage, Lady Haruno, you are both under arrest for the withholding of intelligence from Konohagakure. If you do not comply, we will use deadly force."

The couple glanced towards each other for a moment before looking back to the Anbu captain."

"Captain Odaku," Naruto stated, "As your former Hokage I commend you on your successful pursuit of us. However, I regret to inform you that we are not ready to return to Konoha just yet."

"This isn't a negotiation!" Odaku shouted. "Akimichi, slap the handcuffs on them both!"

Chōji, with a sad face, walked in the room and slapped the handcuffs on two of his closest friends.

"I'm sorry about this Naruto, Sakura," he said.

"It's okay Chōji," Sakura replied, before she and her husband each got a sly smirk on their faces.

Ino was the first to notice this and secretly used her Mind Reading ability to find out what her friends were up to. When she did she was quite surprised at what she had found. She transferred their plan into everyone else's minds except Odaku's…all of them were smirking to themselves internally, and some of them externally.

"Lord Hokage, you and your wife will face justice for your crimes of conspiracy against the Hidden Leaf Village. Do either of you have anything to say before we return?"

"Yes, we do," Naruto said. "Do you see that laptop computer sitting on the desk behind you?" Odaku and the others all turned and, sure enough, there it was. "Open it, on the screen you will find a video message that will sum up everything we have to say."

Odaku huffed and addressed his team, "Watch them."

He opened up the laptop computer, recognizing it as a cheep, complimentary version that the inn provides guests, himself included when he had stayed here while on past missions.

On the laptop screen popped a video of some kind; there was a musical tune booming in the background of what appeared to be a scrawny, light-skinned young male with brown hair and wearing an oversized white sports jacket. The man was dancing in a goofy manner for several seconds before he started singing:

_Oooh_

_We're no strangers to love__  
><em>_You know the rules and so do I__  
><em>_A full commitment's what I'm thinkin' of__  
><em>_You wouldn't get this from any other guy__  
><em>_I just wanna tell you how I'm feelin'__  
><em>_Gotta make you understand_

_Never gonna give you up__  
><em>_Never gonna let you down__  
><em>_Never gonna run around and desert you__  
><em>_Never gonna make you cry__  
><em>_Never gonna say goodbye__  
><em>_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

_We've know each other for so long__  
><em>_Your heart's been achin' but you're too shy to say it__  
><em>_Inside we both know what's been going on__  
><em>_We know the game and we're gonna play it__  
><em>_And if you ask me how I'm feelin'__  
><em>_Don't tell me you're too blind to see_

_Never gonna give you up__  
><em>_Never gonna let you down__  
><em>_Never gonna run around and desert you__  
><em>_Never gonna make you cry__  
><em>_Never gonna say goodbye__  
><em>_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

_Never gonna give you up__  
><em>_Never gonna let you down__  
><em>_Never gonna run around and desert you__  
><em>_Never gonna make you cry__  
><em>_Never gonna say goodbye__  
><em>_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

_(Give you up, give you up)__  
><em>_Never gonna give, never gonna give__  
><em>_(Give you up)__  
><em>_Never gonna give, never gonna give__  
><em>_(Give you up)_

_We've know each other for so long__  
><em>_Your heart's been achin' but you're too shy to say it__  
><em>_Inside we both know what's been going on__  
><em>_We know the game and we're gonna play it__  
><em>_I just wanna tell you how I'm feelin'__  
><em>_Gotta make you understand_

_Never gonna give you up__  
><em>_Never gonna let you down__  
><em>_Never gonna run around and desert you__  
><em>_Never gonna make you cry__  
><em>_Never gonna say goodbye__  
><em>_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

_Never gonna give you up__  
><em>_Never gonna let you down__  
><em>_Never gonna run around and desert you__  
><em>_Never gonna make you cry__  
><em>_Never gonna say goodbye__  
><em>_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

_Never gonna give you up__  
><em>_Never gonna let you down__  
><em>_Never gonna run around and desert you__  
><em>_Never gonna make you cry__  
><em>_Never gonna say goodbye__  
><em>_Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you_

Odaku could only stare at the screen is total confusion over what he had just seen. His team, on the other hand, were either grinning, chucking to themselves, or breaking out into fits of laughter at their captain's expense.

"What the hell am I looking at?!"

Sai, of all people, was the one to answer, "I believe that is what is called a 'Rickroll' captain."

'Oh my god, that was friggin' hilarious!' Kiba thought. "Leave it to Naruto to pull a prank like that!'

'How troublesome,' Shikamaru thought. 'Funny, but troublesome…for the captain anyway.'

'Hahaha! Damn that was a good one!' Chōji thought.

'Any other day I'd think that was lame,' Ino thought, 'but this time, it was-it was… HAHAHAHAHA!'

'Hmm…I must say, that gentleman in the white coat is displaying quite the admirable level of youth indeed," Lee pondered to himself, "His dance moves may make him a worthy opponent for even my skills."

"I've got to hand it to the guy, I never would have thought to pull a stunt like that,' thought Tenten.

'I cannot believe that the fool would take the time to set up this prank when he should have been making his escape…or that it is surprisingly amusing.' pondered Shino.

Hinata didn't think anything, but she did giggle to herself at her former crush's childish antics.

"ENOUGH!" Odaku shouted as he turned to the two fugitives. "That was a very _un_funny prank you just pulled on me Lord Seventh-"

"Not funny?" Kiba questioned, "What are you talking about? That was hysterical!" He then got a death glare from the rugged-faced leader. "Never mind." He muttered one more word under his breath "Tool."

"Lord Seventh, what was the meaning of showing us that pointless video?" Odaku asked.

"Just to distract you all while Sakura and I made our escape. And also to send a message to whoever may be looking for us, which, just in case it wasn't clear, boils down to this."

Naruto and Sakura, in perfect unison and still in handcuffs, raised both of their middle fingers up to Odaku and then each gave him a raspberry like a couple of foul-mouthed little kids…And then they both dissipated in a puff of smoke, leaving the handcuffs behind to fall to the floor.

"DAMN IT! Shadow clones! Hyūga, you can see a person's chakra network; shouldn't you have been able to sense they were clones with your kekki genki?"

"I'm sorry captain, I must not have picked up on that," Hinata lied.

Odaku groaned in frustration, punching a wall no less. Their targets could be miles away by now…

* * *

><p>Hours before the sun were due to rise, Naruto and Sakura woke up to enact what they each had agreed. They both knew that they could not afford to be there in the morning. With wanted posters lined up on the walls of the inn, even an idiot like Naruto could put it together that the innkeeper was only letting them stay the night as part of a plan to collect the bounty on their heads.<p>

But Naruto had a plan for whoever would be waiting for them, and now that his and Sakura's shadow clones had dispelled, all the information from the encounter came flooding back to him…and now he was laughing his ass off.

"Did your plan work?" Sakura asked.

"Yep! My God, you should have seen the look on Odaku's face!"

"So Odaku's the one coming after us?"

Naruto suddenly got serious, "Yeah, and he's got a team of nine others with him."

"A ten-man squad? Isn't that a bit excessive just to bring back two missing-nin?"

"Yeah, but most missing-nin aren't a former kage and a master medical ninja."

"…Point taken." Sakura noticed a disturbed look on her husband's face. "What's the matter?"

"Sakura…the other nine ninja that Odaku brought with him…they're our friends."

"W-What?"

"You heard me; Sai, Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, Chōji, Kiba, Shino, Lee, Tenten, all of them."

"You don't…you don't think any of them _believe_ that we did anything wrong, do you?"

"No, not a chance in hell…" Naruto was confident on the outside, but internally he was having a moniker of doubt, "…Or at least I hope not."

"Wait…if all of them are out here looking for us, then who's watching their kids?"

"They're probably being watched over by their other parent's and guardians fright now."

"I hope all of them are all right."

"Hey don't worry Sakura; they're all pretty smart kids. They know better than to do anything that will get them into trouble…"

* * *

><p>Booyah! Y'all got Rickroll'd suckas! ...No, I'm only kidding. In all seriousness, I hope nobody took Naruto's practical joke too personally; it was meant to be a joke at Odaku's expense, not yours. It was also meant to give us a taste of the old, prankster side of Naruto's character.<p>

As far as references this time, the village that Naruto and Sakura hide out in was inspired by Bree from "The Lord of the Rings," meaning that the inn itself was inspired, at least partially, by The Prancing Pony.

I liked the idea of them using Naruto's parents names as aliases while they were on the lam, even if I did point out how utterly stupid it is given how famous both Naruto and his dad are, so it's no wonder the innkeeper made the connection.

Some of you might have been uncomfortable with the argument that they had in their room, but the thing is that married couples, or anybody in a romantic relationship, have disagreements from time to time or need some way to vent their frustrations, and I think we can all agree that Naruto and Sakura have A LOT of bad things piling up on them right now. But I wanted to make a point that what makes them a great couple is how emotionally in tune they are with each other and how their love can survive anything. Plus, after seeing Naruto come to Sakura's emotional support in so many NaruSaku fanfics, I thought it would be nice to see the opposite for a change and have her comforting him.

The idea I had is that Naruto is having his worst fear come true; the dream life that he has worked so hard to create for himself is almost totally destroyed. Think about it: he's not Hokage anymore, his village and friends (he fears) have turned against him, his son is on a mission that could potentially get him killed, his daughter is missing...Sakura's the only thing he has left, so he's afraid that he might loose her too, be it to her old feelings for Sasuke or that she gets killed. I wanted to clarify this in case any of you thought Naruto was seriously accusing her of infidelity; trust me, that is not going to be happening in this story!

Lastly, the songs, "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins and "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. These are probably the last two songs you would ever expect to see paired together in anything, but that was part of the joke. I realize that the original idea for Collins's song, as it was used in the Disney movie "Tarzan," was to describe the relationship between a mother and her adopted son, but I felt that it could also work in this context as well. As for the Astley song...Watchmojo named #1 on their list of the Top Ten Internet Memes, 'nuff said.

By the way, in case there are any NaruSaku fans who want to try and make a post-699-700 NaruSaku AMV, I recommend using the song "Separate Ways (World's Apart)" by Journey; just do me a favor and credit me for the idea.

Well, I think that's all I've got. Until next time, see ya!


	13. Chapter 13--Lost and Found

What's up everybody, thesaiyanjedi is back again with the latest chapter of "Shinachiku's First Adventure."

Thanks again for all the continued support and feedback I've received for this story. I hope that this latest chapter continues to hold your interest as the truth behind the conspiracy will come to light real soon.

On an unrelated note, the next episode of Death Battle is going to be posted very soon as of the time of this chapter's posting. The combatants...Gaara vs. Toph! As much as us Naruto fans are all looking forward to seeing Gaara win, I have to confess that since "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is one of my favorite shows of all time, a part of me is kind of pulling for Toph a little bit more (_please_ don't hate me), but regardless, I'll be more than satisfied no matter who wins the fight. Here's hoping that we get to see more Naruto and Avatar characters on the show in the future. Actually, maybe that will be the only way to bring a real end to the shipping war, pitting Sakura and Hinata against each other in a Death Battle...I'm just kidding. LOL!

Back on topic, some of you may get upset with the way this chapter ends, but I ask you all to please trust me because I do have a plan for all of this. However, like any good mystery or conspiracy, all of it has to come out gradually. Please, just have faith my fellow Naruto fans.

That's all I've got for the intro this time, so lets get the reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Lost and Found<strong>

"Shouldn't we be there by now, Uncle Sasuke?" Shinachiku asked as they kept leaping tree to tree.

"Should be just about there," Sasuke said. "Why, getting board kid?"

"No…just anxious is all."

Shinachiku was anxious all right…anxious to get answers to what was going on. He needed to find out what Sasuke was talking with Randamu about, or why they were talking at all.

"Hey Uncle Sasuke?"

"What?"

"Don't you think it's curious that we haven't run into any more opposition since we met that Randamu guy? I mean, what if he's still out there somewhere, or someone even worse, just waiting for us when we get to the village?"

Sasuke noticed a curious tone in the way the boy said that. It sounded like he was accusing him of something, or he was looking to see if he knew anything he wasn't told.

'No, not yet,' Sasuke thought, 'I can't tell him yet; his time will come, but right now I need to get him there first.'

"Kid," Sasuke said, "I hope you're not getting scared on me, because its too late to head back home. Now if there are no other questions, let's stay focused on where we're going."

Shinachiku needed to accept the answer given to him, "Yes sir."

And so they kept running for hours and hours. Before they knew it the sun was starting to go down and they were loosing the light. Shinachiku had been running for so long that he was finally beginning to grow fatigued, but he knew that his godfather wasn't going to stop until they made it to where they needed to be. So he kept running…

…Thank goodness all of that running finally came to an end. As they came to the edge of forest, they exited the last row of trees and came to a cliff overlooking the ocean. There was a large island located a couple miles off the coast. From what Shinachiku could see, it looked like the island was filled with buildings and houses, all of which were left in an apocalyptic, ruined mess.

"Well kid, there it is," Sasuke said to the boy. "Uzushiogakure, the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools."

"I thought it was supposed to be the Village Hidden in the _Eddies_?"

"Umm…well, I've heard both names used before."

"Okay…But what about us Uncle Sasuke? It's practically night by now, so it's going to be tough for us to find the Chakra Gem now?"

"You're right; we're best off making camp and then resuming our search in the morning. Your father taught you the walk on water exercise right?"

"Yeah; why?"

"Because we don't have a boat, so this will be our only way to cross the ocean to get to the island."

"Wait a minute, isn't there a ferry of something around here that we can charter to get us to the island?"

"Look around you kid. Do you _see_ any ferries around here? This village has been deserted for generations. Ever since the village got wiped out in war, this part of the Fire Country hasn't exactly been big on tourists."

"Oh…"

"So, might as well unpack your stuff and get plenty of rest kid. We start our search up again at dawn."

With that, both Leaf shinobi unpacked their gear and rolled out their sleeping bags from their sealing scrolls. They didn't talk much as they got their much needed rest, but there was a conversation between the two of them before they went to sleep that stayed on the boy's mind…

* * *

><p>They two of them had finished making camp as the sun finished going down. Shinachiku was looking over the cliff, letting the cool ocean breeze hit his face as he stared out over the water to the island in the distance. He was so lost in thought that he did not notice the raven-haired, one-armed adult came up behind him.<p>

"You alright kid?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine Uncle Sasuke, just thinking is all."

"Thinking about what?"

He looked back out over the water. "Well, this is the village where my grandma came from, and I hardly know anything about her."

Sasuke remained expressionless, "I'm sorry kid, but I don't know what to say to that. I've never met her."

"Yeah I know. My dad met her once, same with my grandpa, but it was only for one meeting. He learned how she and grandpa fell in love and what really happened the day Kurama attacked the village, but that was it. I just…I just wish I could have met her."

Sasuke put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "I know your mother feels the same way. Maybe visiting this place will help you to grow closer to her."

"You really think so Uncle Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed, "I don't know for certain kid, but I do know what it's like to loose a family."

Shinachiku realized what memories this must be bringing up for the grown man. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay; it's in the past. Besides, I've got my own family now."

Shinachiku's mind wandered to something else. "Uncle Sasuke…what happened between you and Aunt Karin? And where's Sarada?"

Sasuke didn't say anything for several seconds. "It's getting late kid; let's get some rest for tomorrow."

* * *

><p>Shinachiku could not get any sleep. He had no idea what was waiting for him tomorrow, but he didn't want to believe that his dad's best friend, his godfather, might be leading him into some sort of trap. He needed to get away…<p>

'No, no I can't leave,' Shinachiku thought, 'Dad wouldn't run away from danger and neither will I…Wait a minute! DAD!'

Quietly, with care not to make a sound that might wake up the man in the sleeping bag next to him, Shinachiku snuck out of his sleeping bag and went into the woods.

Little did the boy realize that Sasuke was awake and watching what he was doing the entire time…

When he felt that he was far enough away to go about unnoticed, he opened the sealing scroll that he brought with him and got out the journal and pen he had brought with him. As quickly as he could, he wrote out a message and then tore out the piece of paper and folded it into smaller portions for easier transport. He then bit his thumb and planted his hand on the forest floor.

"SUMMONING JUTSU!"

In a puff of smoke came a small, red toad, looking very similar to how Gamakichi looked back when Naruto was only Shinachiku's age.

"What do you want kid?" the toad asked a bit rudely.

"Hey," the boy introduced himself, "I summoned you because I have a message that I need you to deliver to my father back in Konoha."

"Fine, who's your father kid?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage," Shinachiku said that with a sense of pride.

The toad was silent for a moment. "Umm…kid, you haven't been in touch with the news lately, have you?"

The boy looked dreadfully confused, "What are you talking about?"

The toad let out a long sigh, "Kid, you'd better sit down because there's something very serious that you need to know."

The blonde-haired Genin sat down innocently on the forest floor, feet crossed beneath him. The toad could merely sigh internally, 'Oh boy, this is gonna be a long night.'

Several yards away, the boy's godfather was looking at the scene before him coldly, as if he had something deep on his mind…

* * *

><p>It was the next morning in Konoha and the atmosphere at the Academy was quite different compared to the hustle and bustle that the village was used too. In the wake of Naruto and Sakura's exile from the village, Councilman Uragi had agreed to take up the Hokage position in the interim until both the Seventh and his wife could be proven innocent or a more suitable replacement could be found. Both Lady Tsunade and Kakashi Hatake were offered a chance to take up their former Hokage status, but they each refused, stating that to do so would suggest that they believed everything that was being said about their former students.<p>

Right now, Kakashi and Tsunade were having breakfast with several of their friends; they all felt that they had a lot to talk about.

"This is all bullshit!" Tsunade shouted as she slammed her glass of juice (which she had spiked without anyone noticing) on the table.

"Agreed; how did it come to this?" Kakashi asked out loud.

"Well, we'll get those answers when Naruto and Sakura come back home," Kurenai responded.

"That's assuming that the retrieval squad doesn't loose sight of their mission and forgets to bring them in alive," Yamato added.

"Yamato," Tsunade objected, "the retrieval squad is made up of Naruto and Sakura's closest friends. The last thing on any of their minds is murdering my old pupil and the closest thing I have to son."

"Forgive my bluntness m'lady; I wasn't referring to their friends as much as the Anbu captain that is leading them."

"Yamato, I'm surprised that you are thinking this way," Kakashi said. "As one of Naruto's former instructors and leaders, you have seen that boy grow into a man just as I have. Furthermore, we've both seen how much Sakura has grown as well. Anbu captain or not, do you really think that Odaku has a chance against either of them, much less both of them together?"

Yamato was ashamed of himself for doubting Naruto and Sakura's abilities, so he humbling eat crow in that moment. "No, I don't."

"Indeed, Naruto and Sakura are blessed with the Springtime of Youth and their abilities must never be put in doubt." Guy injected. "Likewise, our faith in their children must not be allowed to flounder either."

"Nobody ever said that we where doubting them Guy," said Kakashi, "nor are we doubting Shinachiku or Hanami for any reason."

"In speaking of kids," Kurenai wondered, "how do you all suppose the kids of the retrieval squad members are doing now that their parents are gone?"

"I'm sure they're doing fine," Shizune answered. "Those kids know better than to get themselves into trouble."

"Shizune," Tsunade interrupted, "I know you've never been a mother and neither have I, but you've worked with enough children by now to recognize that children _always_ find ways to get themselves into trouble."

"She's right," Iruka concurred, "I used to teach at the Academy so I've learned that lesson the hard way, especially from a certain orange-clad knucklehead. The _real_ question is what kind of trouble those kids may get into and if it gets them in over their heads."

* * *

><p>It was after noon in the Hidden Leaf Village and seven children, all Genin rank shinobi, had all gathered at Ichikaru's for lunch. Since taking the Hokage position, Councilman Uragi has made missions outside the village even scarcer than they were before, leaving many of the village ninjas, particularly Genin and Academy students, without much to do.<p>

Fortunately, this was a golden opportunity for these seven children in question. They needed time alone together to go over their plan and to put it into action. Teuchi prepared their food as his daughter Ayame took their orders. As they waited for their food, they all got down to talking.

"Okay brainiac, what's the plan from here?" Ōkami asked.

Shikadai took a sip from his drink, than spoke. "Alright, first thing's first. Has anyone done a sweep of the Academy yet?"

"Yeah, onii-chan and I looked top-to-bottom, Hanami's not there," Tsumi said.

"Then let's all stop and put out head's together. Now, if you were trying to track down a couple of allegedly wanted criminals and your plan was to use their own daughter as leverage to lure them back to the village, and you wanted to keep her in a place that nobody would ever think to look, where would that be?"

Everyone was in deep thought for several seconds. Finally, Inojin spoke up.

"How about inside of her own house?"

The others all looked at him like he was a complete idiot.

"Dude, seriously?" Ōkami asked in annoyance.

"It would make sense to me," Inojin explained. "The house is undoubtedly being kept under Anbu guard as we speak, and the mere suggestion of holding Hanami hostage inside of her own home sounds so dumb that no one would suspect it."

"You know something," Shikadai thought out loud, "you may have a point there."

"What, really?" Chōchō asked.

"Yeah, it's called reverse thinking. You do something that seems so incredibly stupid to everyone else that no one will think to suspect you of doing that very thing; thus, you have yourself an unexpected advantage."

"And besides, Hanami has the most kick ass house in the entire village!" Ōkami added. There was dead silence as the others all scolded at him. "What, we all know it's true!"

"I-okay, yes, Hanami and Shinachiku do have the most awesome house in the village," Shikadai admitted, "but I seriously doubt that they are letting her enjoy any of it. More likely they'd be keeping her under house arrest."

"You mean they are locking her in her room without freedom to go outside?" Burandon asked.

"Maybe. Let's not forget, all of this is purely speculative."

"You know," Bagu interrupted, "Shinachiku did confide in me once that there was a hidden panic room located in the basement of his house. He said the only two ways inside were with his father's Flying Thunder God Technique or through a secret entrance to a hidden tunnel located somewhere outside the property."

The others were dumbstruck. "Holy s-" Ōkami didn't get to finish his profanity before he was interrupted.

"Why did he tell you about this and not the rest of us?" Tsumi asked.

"Because I just so happened to stumble across the entrance to the tunnel as I was training with my insects one day and I asked him about it."

"And why were you training so close to Shinachiku's house instead of at one of the training grounds?" Inojin asked.

"I don't know, I guess I wanted a change of scenery."

"Okay then…" Shikadai had to gather his boundaries as he processed this new information. "New plan: as soon as we finish our lunch, Bagu, you take us to the Uzumaki Estate and show us where this tunnel is."

"Wait, how do we even know that we'll find anything there?" Chōchō asked. "If what Bagu says is true, then it's just going to lead us into some room in the basement of Hanami's house with no other way out."

"Yes, and for all we know the entrance might have already been found and is being guarded by Anbu black ops already." Inojin pondered.

"You might be right," Shikadai surmised, "but if this hidden room really does exist, then if I were Hanami and I somehow managed to get away fro whoever was holding me prisoner, that's the first place I'd go to hide."

"No offense Shika, but I doubt that Hanami knows her dad's Flying Thunder God Technique," Ōkami remarked.

"At her age, probably not, but she likely _has_ been told by her parents where the secret entrance is in case of an emergency, just like her brother was."

"Are saying you expect to find her in there?" Tsumi asked.

"I have no idea what we'll find in there; but we'll never know unless we go check it out."

There was another silence among the children, as if they doubted to idea of looking into this at all. But leave it to the overly youthful voice of optimism to stir them into action.

"Yosh! Very well then my friends, let us first partake in the meal or ramen and then make haste to the Uzumaki Estate!"

"Oh shut up Burandon! God you're annoying," Ōkami groaned.

"In speaking of lunch," Chōchō said, "I think that it's coming right now."

Ayame came to their table and served their food. The kids eat their meal quietly without too much chatter, since they now had a lot on their minds.

None of them had any idea what they would find inside this so-called secret room within the Uzumaki house, but if there was any chance that Hanami might be there, or that it might lead to a clue where she was, then it was a risk they had to take.

* * *

><p>Anko Mitarashi, tokubetsu Jōnin of Konohagakure, former student of the traitorous Orochimaru, and currently an instructor at the Academy, was sitting at her favorite dango shop with two of her friends. One the left was Temari, wind mistress, former Jōnin of Sunagakure, and the eldest of the three Sand Siblings. One the right was Karui, former Chūnin of Kumogakure and member of Team Samui. Both of these women were among the strongest kunoichi of their generation, and both of them made the choice to transfer from their village of birth for the same reason…they each fell in love.<p>

Neither of them saw it coming. Temari didn't expect that Shikamaru Nara, the lazy genius from the Leaf Village, would end of winning her affection without even trying, but somehow he did, and while Suna would always be her home, she had a family and a son here that she would not pass up for anything. Likewise, Karui could have never guessed that the big boned young man from the Akimichi clan would have so much in common with her, but after the war they got to talking and something sparked that neither could explain. Like Temari, Kumo was her home, but if she hadn't met Chōji then she wouldn't have been blessed with her beautiful daughter.

Still, being parents did not mean either of them where content with being mere housewives. They each made sure to keep up with their ninja training to one day help defend their new home, as well as passing on all they knew to their children.

"Thank you for inviting us Anko," said Temari. "I have to admit that without Shikamaru around this helps keep my life from getting boring."

"Funny, I would think that life would be boring _with_ a guy liked Shikamaru," Karui remarked.

"You'd be surprised. He may be lazy, but at least he's not a fa-" Temari slapped her hand over her mouth after realizing what she was about to say. She noticed the cold stare that Karui was giving her. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking!"

"Oh forget about it! I fell in love with Chōji for who he is, not what he looks like."

Temari smiled, "Same."

Karui turned to look at Anko. "Speaking of which, have you been loosing weight Anko?"

"I've been trying too; in fact, this is my first time coming to the dango shop all week."

"I'm impressed," Temari said.

"Thanks, we can't all have Naruto's metabolism y'know."

After sharing a hearty laugh, there was an uncomfortable silence among the three women as they thought about their former leader.

"You don't really think that Naruto and Sakura are traitors do you?" Karui asked.

"Not a chance in hell!" Temari proclaimed. "I owe that boy so much; if it wasn't for him, then Gaara would still be a murderous, antisocial monster instead of the great leader he is now. If not for Sakura, then Kankurō wouldn't even be alive today. There's no way either of them are guilty of what the Anbu are saying they are."

"Yeah," Anbu added, "that kid is one hell of a ninja. I've seen him in action and there's no way any of this bullshit is true."

"So says the woman who, as I've been told, licked blood off of his face when he was a freaking twelve-year old."

"Hey, that was just some innocent fun. And anyway, aren't you the girl who got pissed off and beat the living crap out of him just because of what Sasuke was doing?"

"It was the blonde's own fault for refusing to fight back! Whatever the case, I just hope Chōji and the others find them soon and bring them back home."

The other two women nodded in agreement and went back to eating their food.

"Say," Anko asked, "have any of you seen the kids today. It's been a while since I last seen Chōchō."

"I don't know, I think she said something about hanging out with her friends today," Karui answered.

"Yeah, Shikadai said something about that too," Temari concurred. "I swear if that boy gets himself into any trouble there's going to be hell to pay."

* * *

><p>The kids were standing outside the western gate of the Uzumaki Estate. As they feared there were small squads of Anbu guards standing watch, mostly patrolling the front gate and keeping watch around from all sides of the fence.<p>

"Well, there's no way we're getting in through the front," Inojin quipped.

"Bagu, are you sure this secret tunnel of yours is really here?" asked a skeptical Ōkami.

"I'm sure. If I remember it correctly…" Bagu started waling around the area, being watchful to make sure none of the Anbu noticed him. "…it should be somewhere around…here."

He pointed to an area of grassy land with only a slightly raised hill, nothing that looked too suspicious. But the dog on Tsumi's shoulder leaped off and started running to the hill.

"Akamiri wait!"

Then Ōkami's own pet leaped off his shoulder and ran the same way.

"Akamoro what are you doing?!"

The dogs were small enough, and quiet enough, that somehow they did not attract the Anbu's attention. They both ran to the hill and started scratching away at the grass covering the hill.

The Inuzuka-Hyūga siblings looked to each other and nodded in agreement at what they needed to do.

"BYAKUGAN!" they both shouted as they activated their kekki genkai's. They scanned the hill to see if there was anything unusual about it, and sure enough…

"Okay, you've got me Bagu," Ōkami admitted in defeat. "There is some kind of hollow structure under there and it looks like it goes down several meters towards the understructure of the house…I guess this means I'm paying for your lunch next time."

"Shhhh! Quiet! Somebody's coming!" Chōchō shouted.

The kids ducked into their hiding place as an Anbu guard finally noticed the two dogs outside the property. He and one other guard he signaled to ran to chase them off.

"Damn! If those Anbu start looking around and find the tunnel then this whole mission's been for nothing. What a troublesome drag!" Shikadai cursed.

"Let me handle this."

Inojin got into position and made one the hand signs that his mother had taught him.

"MIND DESTRUCTION JUTSU!"

Something overcame the two Anbu and they both passed out.

"Yes! Excellent work Inojin, now we are free to explore the tunnel," Burandon praised.

"Umm…you didn't just _kill_ those two, did you?" Ōkami asked worried.

"No, I just disabled their minds momentarily. By the time they come to we'll have had enough time to get inside and they'll be none the wiser."

"Great work Inojin!" Chōchō praised.

"Yeah, now come on, let's get moving," Shikadai ordered.

The seven kids quickly dashed over to the small hill. They carefully lifted a piece of grass off of it, finding that the grass was just the tarp for a wooden panel. Once the panel was removed, it revealed a tunnel large enough for people to pass through standing up, no crawling through tight, dark spaces required. Each of the kids, plus the two dogs, entered the tunnel single file, closing the panel behind them.

"Great, now it's too dark to see anything," Ōkami complained. "Bagu, how did you manage to see in here?"

"Don't look at me. I only _found_ this tunnel and asked Shinachiku about it before, I never said I anything about going inside it myself."

"Wait my friends, I may have a solution."

Burandon, despite the darkness, reached into his miniature weapons pouch and pulled out a small lighter. He flicked it on and it did, barely, help to illuminate the tunnel.

"Tsumi, could you please hold onto this for me?"

"Oh, okay." The female twin took the lighter and kept the flame lit long enough for the young taijutsu-weapons master to pull out a miniature torch. He held the torch up to the open flame and lit it, creating a much more useful source of light.

"Not bad Burandon," Shikadai complimented. "Now let's try to find the other end of this tunnel before that flame goes out."

The kids kept walking down through the tunnel. None of them were sure how long it would take for them to make it to the exit, whatever it was that was waiting for them on the other side. Until finally…

"Yosh! Look my friends; I see a light at the end of the tunnel!"

Ōkami groaned, "Seriously Burandon, couldn't you have said something a little more original."

"Quit complaining, we're almost there," Shikadai scoffed. "Be grateful things aren't a lot worse."

"Were walking through a dark tunnel with no idea what or who, if anything at all, is waiting for us on the other side. How could it be worse?"

"Well, in many stories I've read like this, the heroes usually have to walk through a sewer."

"…I'll shut up now."

The kids reached the source of the light; it was a square-shaped opening on the ceiling above them.

"This must the entrance to the secret room within the Uzumaki house," Inojin surmised.

"So what now?" Chōchō questioned.

"Wait here, I'll take first look."

Shikadai reached up and grabbed hold of the sides of the opening. He pulled himself up to take a peak at what was inside the room…What he saw stunned him.

'Holy shit…'

* * *

><p>Shinachiku was in a frozen state of paralysis. Or at least his mind was. There was no way that any of what the toad had just told him was true.<p>

"No…no you're lying! My dad's the Seventh Hokage, he's a hero! My mom's a master medical ninja! There's no way that they're traitors!"

"I'm sorry kid," the toad apologized, "but that's all I know. The Council claims that they've been withholding information from the village intelligence that is of strategic importance. They escaped and went on the run, and now a ten-man Jōnin squad is tracking them down. The news spread quickly over the whole world, even as far as Mount Myōboku…I'm sorry kid."

Shinachiku hung his head; His hair cast a shadow over his eyes so no one could see them, but he could do nothing to hide the tears that came streaming down his face.

"Where's…what happened to my sister?"

The small toad looked sad for the kid as he was forced to give him the last answer he wanted to hear. "I don't know."

Shinachiku raised his head in frustration, tears still falling. "What do you mean you don't know?!"

"I'm sorry, I don't know! Nobody does! None of the news reports that have gotten out have said anything about your sister. For all we know she may still be in the village alone."

"I've got to go back! I've got to find her!"

"I think that's a bad idea."

Shinachiku turned his head and saw Sasuke there, his arm propping himself against a tree as he had clearly been listening in on everything that the boy and the toad had been saying.

"You…you knew about this didn't you?!"

"I knew _nothing_ about this."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!"

Sasuke didn't let any of it show, but he was a bit taken aback by the boy's tone; it reminded him of Naruto in his most angry moments.

"What have you been playing at?" the boy asked. "What are you _really_ up to? I saw you communicating with that Randamu guy the other day. What did you mean when you said that there was going to be an attack on the Leaf Village? Uncle, before I go _anywhere_ else with you, I want some answers and I want them **now!**"

Sasuke remained cold silent, giving the boy no response.

"ANSWER ME!"

In less than a second, the Uchiha had dashed clear from where he was standing and appeared directly in front of the boy. He has his katana up against Shinachiku's throat, a Chidori current running the length of the blade.

Shinachiku had an entire empty section of the forest to retreat to, he could have attacked or retreated any time he wished…but somehow he knew better. His godfather was trying to bluff him, trick him into thinking he'd attack, and the boy wasn't buying it. He stood his ground barely phased.

Sasuke grinned, "Very good. Even in the face of certain death you were able to call my bluff. You're as brave as your father all right. And you're sharp witted too."

He stopped the Chidori current that ran through his sword and pulled the blade back from the boy's throat. "Alright kid, you want answers and you deserve them."

Shinachiku stood there waiting for whatever his godfather had to say to him…

…But in less than a second the raven-haired Jōnin was behind the boy as he whispered something in his ear. "But not quite yet."

Before the boy could say anything, he felt a pressure blow to his neck, enough to knock him out cold.

Sasuke then turned to the small toad, who could only sit there and bear witness to the shocking and confusing turn of events.

"You, carry on with your mission that this boy summoned you for. Find Naruto and Sakura Uzumaki and let them know that I have their son. Tell them that Shinachiku is safe but in the wake of all that's happened we need to have a talk."

The toad narrowed his eyes at the one-armed Uchiha's request. "And where would I find them?"

"That's your problem, but try heading for Otogakure first."

"Why there?"

"Naruto and Sakura are criminals now and don't know who they can trust; if I were in their position and I needed to try taking refuge with anybody, it would be with another criminal. Someone like my old master."

"Orochimaru?"

"Precisely. Now get out of here before I decide to have frog's legs for my meal tomorrow."

Taking the hint, the toad started hopping in the direction of the Hidden Sound Village. But he barely made one hop before he stopped and turned to face the Uchiha once more.

"Gamabunta and Gamakichi have told all us toads about this boy's father. If you lay another finger on him, Naruto will kill you, you know that right?"

"Don't worry, he'll be safe. Now go."

The toad hopped away towards the Hidden Sound Village once again, leaving the Uchiha and the Uzumaki boy alone in the forest near the coastal cliff.

Sasuke began fiddling with the microphone he wore around his neck.

"Test. Channel 3. Does anybody hear me, this is Uchiha. Does anybody copy?"

There was only blank static for a moment, than a familiar female voice came through the speaker.

"Sasuke? Is that you? Are you at the Hidden Eddy Village yet? Have you heard about Naruto and Sakura?"

"To answer your questions: one, yes, it's me; two, no, we're still on the cliff overlooking the ocean and we were going to head to the island in the morning; and three, yes, I just found out about them."

"What do we do now?"

"That's part of why I'm calling; there's been a change of plans…he's on to us."

"What do you mean he's on to us?"

"I mean Shinachiku, he knows there's more going on than I've told him. I have him knocked out for the time being, but we're going to need to do something if we want his help getting that Chakra Gem now."

"What's the plan?"

"Contact Suigetsu and Jūgo and let them know to meet me here. Call Randamu too; might as well lay all our cards on the table."

"Me too?"

"Oh course, seeing you may help put him at ease…Bring Sarada also."

"You know she's been looking forward to seeing him."

"I know. I'll see you soon…And Karin, I love you."

* * *

><p>WHOA! What the heck is going on now! Remember what I said about some of you not being happy with the ending. I promise everything will be explained in the future...until then, feel free to speculate!<p>

Okay, now for the references. You may have noticed the joke about the confusion over whether the village is called the Hidden Eddy Village or the Hidden Whirlpool Village. That was just my momentary jab at Japanese vs. English translations by Viz.

The two scenes involving Tsunade, Kakashi and company and Anko, Temari and Karui were my way of keeping them alive in this story. I'm not sure those scene's represent my best work, but hopefully they're okay. Incidentally, the note Karai made about Anko loosing weight was my way of dealing with Anko's portrayal in Chapter 700. I appreciate what Kishimoto was trying to do with the idea that a young, sadistic seductress like Anko would grow chubby and mellow out in her later years, but I also know that a lot of her fans hated the idea, so this was my way of compromising on that.

The secret tunnel into the secret panic room in the basement of Naruto and Sakura's house is a callback to the illustrations I provided links to in the last chapter. You can refer to the intro to Chapter 12 to look them up.

The move that Sasuke used to knock out Shinachiku was meant to be the same one he used to knock out Sakura when he left the village the first time to join Orochimaru.

I think that's all I can talk about without spoiling things for the future. So, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you all next time!


	14. Chapter 14--Out of Shadows, Into Light

What's up everyone, thesaiyanjedi is back again with another chapter, and boy do I have a big one for you all this time!

A lot of big things went down last time, and now they're about to get even bigger! This is the chapter where the truth about the conspiracy finally comes to light, and from the last person you might be expecting too. We'll be catching up with all but one of our current story lines, and, even with all that we've got going on, there are still truth and tensions left to unravel.

This chapter is largely written around one big reference, which I'm sure you all will catch when you read it.

So, we've got a lot to get through and I won't waste anymore time. Let's get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Out of the Shadows, Into the Light<strong>

Naruto and Sakura found themselves on the border of the Fire Country and the Land of Sound. There was a gigantic scar formed in the Earth there, created long ago in a great battle between Konoha's founders, the First Hokage himself, Hashirama Senju, and the fallen leader of the Uchiha clan, Madara Uchiha. Those two former friends had founded the Hidden Leaf Village together in hopes of promoting peace, but disagreements over how to achieve that peace ultimately led to a battle that would become the stuff of legend.

The valley itself was carved out of the earth by Hashirama's Top Transformed Buddha technique, leaving an enormous gash that would go on to be called the Valley of the End. The waterfall that had formed here served as the border between the two neighboring countries. On either side of the waterfall were two gigantic statues, each as high as a mountain. The stone figures stood facing each other with their hands in the traditional Seal of Confrontation. On the side that was still the Land of Fire stood the towering sentinel of Hashirama Senju; on the other side of what would one day become the Land of Sound stood the traitorous Madara Uchiha…Or at least they _would_ have been there.

Unfortunately, this was not the first time Naruto had ever been to this place. Years ago, when he was only about twelve or thirteen years old, he had been forced to chase his best friend Sasuke to this very spot after his friend had made the choice to defect from the village to join with the fallen Sannin Orochimaru. Naruto tried to prevent it, but inevitably the two were destined to fight in this place, just as their ancestors had done generations before. Their battle was long and epic, ultimately ending with both of them using their greatest techniques against each other, Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori. The battle ended with Sasuke as the victor and moderate damage done to the statues. Naruto had failed to keep his promise to bring Sasuke back home to Sakura that day, and he swore to get stronger to make up for that failure.

Years later, mere moments after achieving victory against Kaguya in the Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto and Sasuke would fight here once again, this time for Naruto to stop his friend's clouded vision of a revolution, a world without the Kages governing it and where he alone has taken on all of its hatred, seeing Naruto and the tailed beast chakra within him as the only thing left that could stand in his way. Thus, the two friends fought once again, this time with the full extent of each of their powers, and this time leaving both statues almost completely destroyed. By the end of the battle, all that remained of the two stone warriors were two hands, one from each statue, forming the Seal of Reconciliation, a fitting, if incredibly convenient symbol of the two of them finally putting aside their lifetime of differences.

Even more ironic, it was at the end of this battle that both young men lost their respective arms, Sasuke his left, Naruto his right. But of the two of them only Naruto ever agreed to Tsunade's offer to use Hasirama's cells to grow his missing limb back.

Naruto hated being in this place. So many terrible memories bubbled to the surface from merely being here. He had no plans to dwindle here too long and instead to continue onward towards Otogakure. But the most bizarre part of it was all was that this time he was here alone with Sakura. Every other time he visited here it was for a fight to the death, so being alone in this place with the woman he loved felt…awkward.

For Sakura's part, she didn't like being here either. She never bore witness to either of Naruto and Sasuke's duels here, but the scars they left her both times have never faded. It was here that Sasuke, her first love, crossed a point of no return and abandoned the Land of Fire to begin his quest for vengeance that defined the rest of his youth. It was here that Naruto nearly lost his life, to the very man she used to love, and all because she had begged him to make that stupid, selfish promise.

She swore that next time he would not have to bring Sasuke back alone and so she trained for two and a half years to be ready for when they reunited again. And yet, after the war was over, despite how far she had come and how much she and Naruto had been through, including an attempt to free him from his promise in the form of a, at the time, fake confession of love, the two men in her life were fated to battle here again. She had tried to stop it, to plead to Sasuke both in unrequited love and in anger over what he had become, to put his hatred aside and come back home…His response was a genjutsu of him stabbing the poor girl to death.

She came out of it and, her sensei Kakashi in tow, arrived at the devastated valley to find their battle already over and both boys missing an arm. She used what chakra she had left to heal them, but knew that growing whole limbs back would take skill that she did not have. It was also here that she finally got her apology from Sasuke…but even though she did forgive him, it just didn't feel like she imagined it would.

Both of them felt so many memories flooding back to them, as they both turned to each other.

"Naruto?"

Naruto said nothing for several seconds, his memories both of this place and of everything that has happened the last couple of days crowding his mind. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he could barely get out a response just loud enough for Sakura to hear.

"Let's get the hell out of here."

With that, the two of them continued north to the land of their old enemy. All the while Naruto had a single thought on his mind.

'The Valley of the End, both our ancestors and me and Sasuke's fates were decided there…I hope that no one from our clan's ever face each other in that place again…'

* * *

><p>Uragi, Interim-Hokage of Konoha, was sitting in the Hokage's office, the office that had once belonged to the very person who his top Jōnin were searching for now. He had his emotions hidden so no one who looked at him could tell what he was thinking, if he was thinking anything at all.<p>

At the moment he was filling out all of the paperwork at his desk, taking breaks to sip from a cup of coffee. This kept going until he heard a tapping outside of his window.

He turned to the source of the tapping and found a pair of Leaf shinobi, garbed completely in black, with masks covering their entire faces save for their eye area.

Uragi didn't make his move for a moment, but then, as if he were slightly afraid to rub these shinobi the wrong way despite the circumstances, he proceeded to open the window to let them both in.

The two ninja, a male with bright blue eyes and a female with violet eyes, stood before the Hokage's desk.

"Want some coffee?" Uragi asked. Neither of them did or said anything.

Uragi took another sip from his cup and figured he ought to get down to business.

"The time table has moved; our window is limited. Two targets, level six. I've already sent Odaku after him with a ten-man squad, but I'm beginning to doubt that even he is enough to deal with them. And the ones selected to form his team…well, let's just say that this is a test to see if their loyalty can be proven. If they carry out orders without question, then there may still be use for them. If not…there are solutions to such problems. Consider yourselves the backup plan in case they fail. I want confirmed capture or death by the time mission is completed…I trust that you two of all people are equipped to handle this. There's no way that Naruto will raise a finger against you."

"What about the girl?" the woman asked coldly.

"She is being kept safe for the time being; she'll serve us well in the end."

"And the boy?" the woman asked again.

"He's doing our job for us. Let's leave him be for now."

"Understood. Is there anything else?" the man asked coldly.

"No, just be on alert and do your jobs. Dismissed."

The two masked ninja exited the office the way they came, allowing Uragi to get back to work once again…Until he heard a knock at the door.

"Yes."

A familiar, attractive middle-aged woman with short black hair and wearing a black gi opened the door.

"Excuse me my Lord, but I thought I heard voices coming from inside here and I didn't have anyone listed on your schedule for this hour."

"No, no, it was nothing Shizune. I was just rehearsing a speech."

Shizune did not do or say anything for a moment, "…Oh, alright then. I think my lunch break is nearly here anyway so…"

"That's alright; you can go ahead and go."

"Arigato, my Lord."

Shizune closed the door behind her, silently contemplating what she had just heard.

'Naruto…Sakura…Hanami…Shinachiku…I've got to inform the others, **now!**'

Shizune took off out of the Hokage Tower through the Academy in search of the exit. She needed to warn Lady Tsunade, Kakashi, and anyone else that would listen of what was going on.

Inside his office, Uragi sat contemplating. 'Well…this could be a problem.'

* * *

><p>Shikadai was stunned at what he was seeing. The squared-off hole in the ceiling did indeed lead to a room with four heavily padded walls and no doors or windows.<p>

What stunned Shikadai was that there was one other person inside the room…exactly the person they were looking for! Hanami was sitting in the middle of the room, bruises all over her. Some of the poor girl's clothes appeared to be ripped, clearly from being in a struggle. The girl was crying, hard, and depending on however long she may have been in here, she may have been crying for several days.

Shikadai and Hanami had never been close or anything, but her brother was one of his closest friends, and she was only seven years old. Seeing a little girl in a horrific situation like this brought the boy's piss to a boil.

He crawled back down to tell the others.

"Well, what did you see?" asked Chōchō.

"She's here."

"Hanami?" asked Tsuki.

"Yeah; she's all alone up there…and she looks to be in bad shape. Her clothes are all torn and she's got bruises all over her body."

The other kids all got really scared and really angry all at once. Hanami was one of the sweetest kids they knew, and they all knew how much Shinachiku loved her. If somebody hurt her in any way, then her family was going to gut them any which way they could.

"Anything else?" Inojin asked.

"She'd crying. I don't know how long she's been down here, but she may have been crying ever since her parent's left."

"That poor girl," Burandon said with sympathy.

"Is she alone?" Ōkami asked with a clear tent of anger in his voice.

"Yes, I don't see any Anbu or shinobi up there with her. We need to get to her."

"Wait," Bagu interrupted, "if she's all alone and there are guards outside the house, then this could all be some sort of trap."

"But we must do something," Burandon countered.

"Burandon's right," Shikadai said. "Trap or not, we've got a little girl up there, our friend, who needs our help. Besides, the walls are heavily padded and it is a panic room. I'm pretty sure the room is soundproof."

"Be careful when you get her attention; she's probably really scared," Tsumi warned.

"I know."

With that, Shikadai leaped up to grab the sides of the opening again and pulled himself back up.

"Psst! Hanami! Hanami can you hear me?"

The pink-haired, blue-eyed girl opened her eyes and look in the direction of the voice, tears long-since stained her face.

"W-Whose there?"

"It's Shikadai! I'm here with Inojin, Chōchō, Ōkami, Tsumi, Bagu and Burandon! We all came here looking for you! Does any one else know you're here?"

"N-No. I don't think so."

"Okay, just wait there, we're all coming up."

"Shikadai signaled for the others to follow him up into the room as he pulled himself up. One-by-one they all pulled themselves out of the tunnel and into the secret room. The two girls instinctively ran over to Hanami and embraced her in a hug, a maternal instinct kicking in even at their young age.

"Thank goodness you're safe, we were so worried," Tsumi said.

"Tell you what sweetie, as soon as we get ourselves out of this mess, Anko-sensei and I will treat you to all the dango you can eat. That will make you feel better," Chōchō said.

"Where's…where's my mommy and daddy?" Hanami asked in worry. "The bad men said that they were traitors."

"We don't know," Inojin said. "They fled the village and our parent's were put on a ten-man squad to find them."

Burandon decided to step in, "But fear not Hanami, for neither we nor our parent's believe that they are truly corrupt! Most assuredly our parents will bring them back to the village upon learning the truth of this dreadful conspiracy!"

Hanami could just stare at the green-clad boy, still sad.

Ōkami elbowed the big-eyebrowed Genin with the black mop top. "Hey Burandon, use less pomp and circumstance next time you want to make her feel better!"

"Gomen, gomen!"

"How-How did you all know I was here?" Hanami asked.

"Your brother confided in me the purpose of the tunnel leading to this room after I stumbled across it in training one day," Bagu answered.

"Anyway," Shikadai interrupted, "Hanami, we're all glad you're safe, but we need to know what happened to you and how you got here."

Hanami, clearly with some pain in her heart, recalled the memory of what happened the day that her parent's disappeared…

* * *

><p>"And so children, who can tell me all three prohibitions that if unchecked may one day bring a shinobi to his or her ruin?" The instructor saw a hand quickly rise up is eagerness. "Yes, Hanami?"<p>

"Shino-sensei, the three prohibitions are alcohol, money and sex."

"That's correct…although you really didn't need to be so blunt about that third one Hanami."

One of her classmates called out, "Hey, as often as her parent's do it, who can blame her?"

The whole class laughed at the boy's perverted joke, much to Hanami's embarrassment.

"All right, that's enough!" Shino called out to bring the class to order. "Now then, can anybody tell me-?"

Shino was cut off by a door swinging open and a squad of armed Anbu storming in.

"What's going on?" Shino asked.

"Pardon the interruption Aburame-sensei," one of the Anbu answered, "but there's been a disturbance and we need to put the Academy on lockdown! We need you and the children to come with us immediately."

"Has anyone informed the Hokage yet?"

"Aburame-sensei…I'm afraid Lord Hokage _is_ the disturbance."

"What?!"

"We've no time to explain right now, please come with us!"

Shino turned to his students, "Alright class, everyone stay in single-file as we get to the safety area. Don't be frightened, everything's under control."

The students all got out of their seats and lined up to exit the building. But as the children began exiting the classroom, Hanami, who happened to be the last person in line, was grabbed by one of the two Anbu guarding the doorway, gagged with the Anbu's hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming for help, and quickly poked with a syringe containing some sort of red liquid. At the same time, the other Anbu produced a clone that then performed a transformation jutsu on itself to perfectly replicate Hanami, its chakra signature precise enough to not draw too much attention. The fake Hanami exited the classroom to join her classmates.

"Hanami, don't fall behind!" Shino said. "We don't know what going on but we need to stick together."

"Gomen Shino-sensei," Hanami apologized, "the Anbu were just letting me know that my dad was going to be all right."

"Oh…okay then; just don't wander off."

As the impostor Hanami stayed with her group, the Anbu dragged the real Hanami with them out of the window, her mouth still covered to muffle any screams for help.

Once outside the building, Hanami stepped on her handler's foot, causing him to yell in pain as she broke away. The other Anbu tried grabbing for her, but she was able to use her taijutsu training to the block his blows…barely; she was still an Academy student after all.

And yet, she was also the daughter of Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, so even at seven-years old, she wasn't going to go down without a fight!

"Alright, let's see how you guys handle this!" She pumped chakra into her fist and slammed it into the ground. "SHARRANO!"

…The ground barely shook.

'What? I don't get it; mommy taught me how to do this, so why isn't it working?'

The Anbu smirked to themselves as they approached the girl.

"Alright, that's it!" She tried gathering her chakra again, this time into her hand…Nothing was happening.

'What was I thinking? I got onii-chan to show me how he does the Rasengan, but daddy still hasn't taught it to _me_ yet!'

The girl was getting scarred now as the two Anbu kept coming. "My daddy is going to beat you both up for this!"

"HA!" one of the Anbu laughed. "Your mother and father are traitors to the village. We've got teams of ninja going to arrest them right now!"

The blood drained from the girl's face. "No…no you're lying!"

"Afraid not kid. Now why don't you come with us and make this easy on yourself?"

The Anbu grabbed her arm and she was forced to rely on her taijutsu again to break away. But both Anbu used their years of training in ninjutsu and taijutsu to hold the spunky girl off. The result was a truly gruesome sight…the cute, kind, lovable daughter of two of the ninja world's greatest heroes getting beaten to a pulp by two of her village's own ninja.

The pain was terrible, or at least the worst that's she's ever had to go through up to that point. The Anbu were leaving her beaten and bruised, her clothes tearing from all of the carnage.

She needed to get away, but how could she when they had her pined to the ground, her chakra barely working, and in this much pain.

She had been taught that a lady should never do this unless she had no choice, but that time was clearly now…Hanami extended both of her fists and punched both men hard in their groins.

"AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!"

Both men were forced to grab their crotches in pain and Hanami got away, limping as fast as she could move. She was lucky she had enough to time make it out of the Anbu's sight before they recovered and came running after her.

Even for a little girl, she knew that she needed to do something drastic to get away. Then she remembered how these Anbu had tricked Shino-sensei into thinking she was still with the group. So, using all of the control and willpower she had, she gathered what precious little she had left of her rapidly draining chakra and made a familiar hand sign.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

In a puff of smoke, an identical copy of Hanami appeared. As the real one ducked somewhere the Anbu would not find her, the clone stood behind for the Anbu to catch up to.

"So," one of the traitors said, "thought you could get away from us huh?" He backhanded the poor girl. "You little bitch!"

"Come on," the other Anbu said as he grabbed her arm, "you're coming with us to a safe house until we can find a use for you."

As the Anbu dragged the clone away, the real Hanami started moving, doing all she could to stay out of sight, until she made it clear out of the main village and back to her house. There were already guards outside blocking her way in.

But then she remembered something her parent's had showed her and her brother when they were kids. She sneaked over to a small grassy hill and lifted a wooden panel covered in grass. The panel hid a secret tunnel to a panic room hidden in the basement level of her house. She got inside and closed the panel before any Anbu noticed anything.

Hanami, beaten and bruised, was forced to stumble through darkness as the tunnel kept going, until at last she saw a light at the end of the tunnel, which came from a square opening in the ceiling; this was the only way in or out of the panic room short of her dad's Flying Thunder God Technique or taking some really drastic measures.

Using what strength she had left, she pulled herself up and crawled into the middle of the room. She stayed there for days crying, about her pain, about her parents, about her brother, about everything…

* * *

><p>…Hanami broke into tears again as she finished her story. The kids all felt several emotions at once. Horror at all this little girl was put through, wonder at her level of resourcefulness for her age, and anger for the ones who did this to her.<p>

No words were said as all of them were drawn to her like a magnet, enveloping Hanami in a hug.

"Do not worry Hanami; we shall get you out of here!" Burandon promised.

"I really hate to be the pessimist here," Bagu said, "but that might be difficult, given that the only ways out are by either going back down the tunnel, which may have the guards waiting for us on the other side for all we know, or by blowing up one of these walls, which will immediately call attention to ourselves."

"I hate to admit it, but Bagu's got a point." Shikadai confessed. "Jeez this is troublesome."

"So what do we do now?" Chōchō asked worriedly.

Shikadai, who had led them all this far and helped them all succeed in finding Hanami, who was the son of the Hokage's adviser and one of the most brilliant strategists of his generation, could only come up with one response to that question. "I have no idea…"

* * *

><p>The two lovers had officially crossed into the Land of Sound. They knew what they were looking for, but actually finding one of Orochimaru's hidden factories was still no easy task.<p>

"Do we have any idea what we're doing here?" Sakura asked. "Orochimaru wasn't the kind of person to reopen one of his hidden laboratories once it's been discovered."

"No," Naruto answered, "but if I can hone in on a nearby chakra signature, maybe that can help."

"Oh, you mean when you enter Sage Mode?"

"Yeah." Naruto looked at his wife and saw something was bothering her. "What's the matter?"

"If you can sense people's chakra from far away, why didn't you try using it back home to find out where Hanami was?"

"I tried that, but some how I couldn't detect her chakra anywhere no matter how hard I focused. It was like she had no chakra at all. I don't get-"

Naruto stopped his explanation when a realization came over him. He turned to Sakura and saw that her mind was headed the same way. She pulled out the syringe of red liquid she carried on her.

"Oh my God," Sakura gasped…before grasping the syringe and nearly breaking it. "If those bastards lay a finger on my little girl-"

"Sakura," Naruto interrupted, "we'll be back for her, but right now we need to first complete our mission."

Sakura pocketed the syringe again and sighed, "Fine."

With that, Naruto sat down on the forest floor, his legs crossed and his armed folded as he closed his eyes to meditate. There was no noise around save for the gust of the wind, the chirping of birds, and all other sounds of nature. The orange-clad ninja master remained completely still for several moments, taking in the natural energy around him as the toads of Mount Myōboku had trained him to do back when he was a teenager.

After finally gathering enough natural energy, his eyes snapped open, revealing that they have changed from their familiar cerulean blue to a goldish yellow color, with the pupils represented as small black lines in the center. Around the outside of his eyes were orange markings.

"Do you have something?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, I'm sensing a strong chakra about 500 meters from here, in that direction." He reached out and pointed the way, knowing that by moving he would stop his absorption of natural energy, thus cancelling out his Sage Mode.

"You plan on leaving Shadow Clone behind to absorb more natural energy while we go searching for whoever that chakra belongs to?"

"Yep. Let's go."

Naruto got up and made a familiar hand sign. Leaving a clone behind to meditate, he and Sakura took off in the direction of the chakra source. After about 250 meters, Naruto's natural energy ran out, so he reversed-summoned his clone to lend him the natural energy he absorbed. They made it to the source of the chakra signature and, after searching, they found it was coming from a small building, shaped more like a bunker. It was locked by a chain, but Sakura used her chakra-enhanced strength to simply snap the chain off.

They opened the door to find a darkly-lit flight of stairs. There was a conveniently placed torch burning on the wall, supposedly to provide light for whoever was down here. Like pretty much all of Orochimaru's hideouts, there was a vibe of creepiness to this place that could not be denied.

"Who do you suppose is down there?" Sakura questioned.

"I'm not totally sure," Naruto answered, "but either way we're not going to find the answers unless we go down there."

"Do you have any more natural energy left?"

"No, actually it should be running out right about…now." On cue, his eyes returned to normal and the boost of power the young man had received was gone. "So long Sage Mode."

Sakura smiled at him as she cupped the underside of his chin. "Look on the bright side; you're way more handsome with blue eyes."

Naruto actually blushed a little bit, "Thanks babe."

Sakura showed her gratitude for his compliment by planting a loving kiss on her husband's lips. After parting, they both descended down the staircase, Naruto picking up the torch and holding it in front of him to light the way.

When they made it to the bottom of the stairs, they found rows of desks, empty and covered in dust and cobwebs.

"I never pegged Orochimaru for an office guy," Naruto quipped.

The couple kept searching, opening several more doors as they explored this underground facility. They came to one single door that led to a room filled with more desks and file cabinets, There were also four framed photos hanging on the far wall.

"Isn't that Orochimaru as a kid?" Sakura asked, "Back when he was still a Leaf Village Genin?"

"Yeah, back when he was trained by the Third Hokage," Naruto confirmed. "That must be who the grown up in the photo is."

"Then those other two kids-"

Naruto finished her sentence for her, "Pervy Sage and Baachan."

"Wow…they're so young."

"Yeah, kind of like us when you think about it. Both of them were really close."

Sakura thought back to what her former master had revealed to her the day before this whole mess started. "You have no idea…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Sakura noticed the other photos on the wall. "That one; that's him and Anko."

"Yeah. Poor girl spent the rest of her life working to get out of her master's shadow."

There was yet another photo. "That's him and Kabuto."

"Must be from when they first met. I can't believe the damned snake would take pictures of all this, it's so unlike him."

But it was the last photo that got to them the most. It was a picture of Orochimaru, Kabuto…and Sasuke. He was still young back then, and had a look of impatience on his face. He was dressed in his signature blue shirt and black shorts from when he was still a Genin, meaning this was likely taken soon after he first left the village.

Neither Naruto nor Sakura could find words to say as they looked at the photo. So instead they just pressed on with their search. Naruto looked around at some old shelves, ones that might have held some of Orochimaru's scrolls or experimental equipment years before. He noticed something; there was a thin, open space in between two of the shelves that a gust of wind could be heard passing through. He also noticed while walking up to the shelf that the opposite side had left scratch marks on the floor.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"I'm just curious; if you're already working in a secret laboratory…" Naruto got his fingers in-between the cracks and pushed. Just as he thought, the shelf slid to the right and revealed what it had been hiding. "…Why do you need to hide the stairs?"

Sakura was just as interested in this twist as her husband was as both of them descended down yet another flight of stairs. When they made it all the way down, they found an old, very dirty, yet surprisingly high-tech for it's time, miniature laboratory. No doubt that the upper floor was mainly for office and living space, but this was a place where Orochimaru performed some of his _real_ experiments.

"This equipment looks at least thirty years old," Sakura pointed out. "These computers must date back at least to when we were kids."

"Indeed they do."

It was not Naruto's voice that said that. Both of them turned to the source of the voice as a figure came out of the shadows. The person was a tall man garbed in a maroon-colored cloak with a hood that resembled a serpent's head, with white, red and yellow markings meant to resemble eyes. The man himself had scaly patterns on his face and had unkempt bowl cut hair that was ash-gray in color. His onyx eyes also had purple markings on them. But the most striking feature was a long, white snake that protruded from the bottom end of his cloak because it was fused to his abdomen.

"Kabuto!" Both of them shouted on sight.

Kabuto Yakushi, traitor to Konohagakure and former spy and apprentice to Orochimaru, The Snake Sannin, smirked and let out a brief chuckle to acknowledge his two unexpected guests.

"Naruto Uzumaki, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, apprentice to Kakashi Hatake and Master Jiraiya, and _former_ Seventh Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village; born October 10, ninja registration number 012607." He then turned to his other guest. "Sakura Haruno Uzumaki, daughter of Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno, apprentice to Kakashi Hatake and Lady Tsunade, and _former_ chief medical ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village; born March 28, ninja registration number 012601." He put his head back in the middle, addressing them both. "Both married at age 22, giving birth to two children, Shinachiku and Hanami." Kabuto put on a disturbingly large grin. "It is good to see old friends again after so long."

"We're **not** your friends!" Sakura asserted.

"Oh come now; let's not be mean. You are guests in my current residence after all…Or did you come here looking for someone else?"

"Not that it's any business of yours," Naruto answered rudely, "but I sensed a chakra signature coming from this place while we were trying to track down one of Orochimaru's labs."

"Ah, I see, and you mistook my chakra for Lord Orochimaru's, yes?" Naruto did not answer. "Don't be embarrassed; ever since I absorbed some of my former master's cells and took on much of his appearance, my chakra has born a striking similarity to his. So…how may I help you? Don't worry I'm unarmed and my friend won't bite." Kabuto said the last part while petting the head of the large snake fused to his body.

The pair looked at each other, silently asking each other if this was their best course of action, before turning back to face him.

"You probably already know that we've both been set up and chased out of our own village, right?" Naruto asked already knowing the answer, which was confirmed when Kabuto nodded his head.

"We've uncovered some evidence that might give us clues to what is happening back home," Sakura explained, "and we needed to find a laboratory where we can perform an investigation."

"I see; well I can certainly help you with that. What kind of evidence have you brought exactly?"

Naruto pulled out his scroll while Sakura brought out both of her syringes filled with blue and red liquid.

Kabuto's eyes widened only slightly. "I see…so it has begun then."

The couple reacted in alarm. "What's begun?" Naruto demanded.

"Taka's revolution of the entire ninja world, starting with their infiltration of the Five Great Shinobi Countries."

"What?!" Naruto shouted.

"That can't be," Sakura countered, "Taka was disbanded after the war. Sasuke was reformed and he and Karin got married and had a daughter-"

"And yet he also spent a great deal of time outside the village, didn't he? Yes, the old Taka, the four man squad that you knew, _that_ Taka had disbanded. But in its place a new one has emerged, one far larger, working from within the shadows across our whole world to realize dear Sasuke's dream from the end of the war…A dream of a world without a kage system, only a world under its unified control…and now they have found the weapons that will make that dream a reality."

Naruto's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets in realization. "The Chakra Gems…"

Kabuto smirked, "Precisely."

"No," Naruto shook his head in denial, "no you're lying! Sasuke is a changed man! He's our friend, not some madman leading some Akatsuki-wannabe crime syndicate!"

"Let me correct you right there Naruto. The Akatsuki were a group of criminals that defected from their village's to enact their plans. Taka are a conglomerate of double agents working from within that system to eventually bring about its undoing."

"This can't be real…" Sakura said lost.

"Taka was originally founded by Sasuke merely to track down and help him get revenge on Itachi; by the end of the war they had changed much. They went from accomplishing that goal, to joining the Akatsuki to hunt down the tailed beasts, to aiding the Allied Shinobi Forces during the war. But then Sasuke concluded that revolution was needed."

"No…" Naruto said softly.

"The new Taka was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. But what they had come to realize was that if you tried to take that freedom, tried to bring that world order down, they resist. The war taught them much; true change could not be done be conquest from the outside but from within. After the war, the Allied Shinobi Forces continued and endured to this day. Peace…to Taka this world's definition of that word is merely a stalemate until the next inevitable crisis. Thus, the new Taka grew, a beautiful parasite, _inside_ the Five Great Nations themselves. For seventeen years, Taka has been secretly feeding crisis, weeping war. And when history did not cooperate…history was changed."

"That's impossible; the kages would have stopped them," Sakura objected.

"The kages have all been blinded by an era of peace; Naruto himself is living proof of that." Naruto was fighting to hold in the rage that was welling up within him.

"How do you know all of this?" Sakura questioned.

"Because Taka came to me some time ago and told me all of this. They thought that I could be a valuable agent for them…but I had no interest in such things so I refused." Kabuto paused for only a moment. "Anyway, Taka has already infiltrated all of Hidden Village's ranks and developed a means to give them an edge against even the most powerful of shinobi. Once the seven Chakra Gems are all found and brought together, Taka's new world order will arise." Naruto turned to see the Orange Hokage fuming with anger. "Funny, you made it your life's mission to bring peace to this world and end the cycle of hatred, yet you were blind to the cycle of revolution that was brewing right next to you. You lost Naruto; your reign amounts to the same as your life: a zero sum-"

Kabuto did not get to say anymore as Naruto had finally lost control and landed a powerful left hook right into his jaw, knocking the snake-man to the ground…Somehow, it made him feel no better. Kabuto merely collected his bearings and stood up again. "As I was saying."

Naruto didn't want any of this to go on any longer than it had too, "What's in this scroll?"

Sakura followed suit, "And what do these serums do?"

Kabuto answered. "I think you already know the answer to the second question Sakura. The blue serum is a special chakra shielding agent that allows someone one has it in their bloodstream to use their own chakra techniques, but provides a shield within range of the skin that nullifies the chakra of others. On the other had, the red serum does to opposite; it nullifies one's _own_ chakra reserves and leaves them totally vulnerable to other's chakra attacks."

"And what about the scroll?" Naruto asked again. "Does it contain the secret to how to make the serums?"

"That, I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about that scroll. And that's the truth."

Naruto sighed, than he punched the wall in fury. "God damn it!"

"Naruto…" Sakura was his wife, his rock, his anchor in what was supposed to be his times of need…which was why is devastated her that she had no clue what to say to the man she loved in this moment.

It was then that Kabuto interrupted. "If you came here to examine those serums, maybe to develop an antidote, the lab is all yours."

"Say what?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"That's right, go ahead. I don't care one way or another…Unless you'd rather go find your son instead."

And that's when it hit them, when pieces fell into place. When their worst fears came to light. Sasuke began Taka, and now Taka was back to try to take over the world and planing to use the Chakra Gems to do it…and right now Sasuke and Shinachiku were searching for one in the remains of the Hidden Eddy Village.

"Son of a bitch," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Naruto" Sakura asked in terror, "you don't really think…?"

"I don't know Sakura…I just don't know." Naruto clenched his fists. "But one way or another Sasuke and I need to have a talk."

* * *

><p>Shinachiku woke up the next morning. He was still a bit groggy after the blow that he took to the neck last night.<p>

'Wait, blow to the neck…Oh shit!'

He quickly looked around to see where he was. Sure enough, Sasuke was there staring at him.

"About time you woke up kid; we've got work to do."

Shinachiku would have retorted, had he not noticed somebody else next to his godfather. She was the same age as Sasuke was, a woman with a fit figure, crimson eyes, fair skin, and red hair which she wore in a strange manner, short and spiky on one side, while longer and straight on the other side. Highlighting her eyes were a pair of brown glasses. She wore a lavender uniform that exposed her midriff, much like his Aunt Ino did, coupled with black pants with black sandles. She also carried a pouch around her midsection. While the boy could not see it, her clothes covered numerous bite marks, both from use of her Heal Bite Technique and from "special nights" that she shared with her husband.

"Aunt Karin?"

"Hello Shinachiku, it's so good to see you again."

The boy noticed still more people were there as well. One was a lean-built man with straight white hair with a light-blue tint, purple eyes and pointed teeth like a shark. He was dressed in sleeveless purple shirt, blue pants, sandals, and a belt around his waist with water bottles attached to it. He also had another belt strapped to his chest to which he had attached a gigantic sword with holes in it.

There was also a tall, muscular man with spiky orange hair, red-orange eyes, and who had a calm disposition. He was dressed in black pants, a pale blue shirt, and brown sandals.

But it was the third person that alarmed the boy.

"Hey kid, what's up? Remember me, Randamu? I fought you! Yes I did, yes I did!"

"Stay away from me!" Shinachiku demanded in panic.

"Well, good to see you too brat." The masked man then folded his arms and started muttering to himself. "Didn't bribe the author to bring me back into this fanfic just for this crap!"

"SHINACHIKU!"

The boy felt a wave of surprise and relief at the sound of that voice. From behind his godparents came a girl his age with fair complexion, onyx hair and eyes, the hair she wore in a straight shoulder-length style. Her eyes were highlighted by a pair of red-rimmed glasses. She was dressed in a black vest adorned with the Uchiha clan symbol, which also had a small version of the Uzumaki clan symbol in the red portion, over a white button-up shirt with red trim, white shorts and black sandals. The girl ran out and embraced the blonde-haired boy in a tight hug.

"S-Sarada?!" Shinachiku asked blushing.

The girl, realizing the emotional outburst she'd just had, pulled back from the boy blushing.

"Umm…yeah, I mean, yes it's me…It's been a long time Shinachiku."

The boy smiled at her, blushing harder. "Yeah, it has."

This caused the girl to blush just as hard while smiling warmly.

"All right you two, that's enough!" Sasuke interrupted. "Shinachiku, this is Suigetsu and Jūgo, they were teammates of mine when I was younger. Sarada and your Aunt Karin you know, obviously, and Radamu you met the other day."

"What's going on?!" Shinachiku demanded. "What is this _really_ all about?!"

Sasuke approached to boy, "Alright kid, you wanted answers…" Sasuke pulled out his sword, "…and you'll get them."

The boy got nervous, as did the girl who was still within inches of him.

"Dad, what are you doing…?"

* * *

><p>Holy crap! The shit just hit the fan BIG TIME!<p>

Let's address the obvious reference first; yes, I paid homage once again to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." Yes, I just turned Taka into Hydra! This was one of the ideas I had in my mind from the very beginning of this project, and I hope the reveal was as shocking as I hoped it would be. We've been left wondering ever since the series ended what became of Taka and now we have an answer. And yes, I do know that it is likely to be addressed in one of the upcoming epilogue books that will be released in Japan soon, but I had this on my mind since before that came out.

You may remember that at least twice in the story so far, characters related to this conspiracy have said the line "Hail Taka"...now we know what that line means and what it's a reference to.

I'm really not sure why "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" was such an inspiration to me while crafting this story, except that, with Naruto now having fulfilled his dream of becoming Hokage, taking the series in this new political thriller-inspired direction seemed like an interesting way to go.

As I was writing this chapter I really thought that I would stage the scene in the underground lab with Orochimaru. But as I got to that scene, for some reason I thought that the scene would be a bit more surprising and somehow flow better if I used Kabuto instead. The whole scene itself is directly based on Cap and Black Widow's visiting the hidden S.H.I.E.L.D. base at the camp where Steve was trained. Therefore, Kabuto is cast in the Arnim Zola role, minus the computerized A.I. concept.

The scene with Uragi was also inspired by a scene from that movie. I won't say which one, but you can probably guess...Also, I have a crazy idea with those two masked ninja he sent...but I'm not telling yet!

Some of you might have noticed Naruto's closing thought to the opening scene at the Valley of the End...that may or may not be foreshadowing to something in the future.

I felt really bad for having to put Hanami through so much this chapter, but it was to make a point of how bad Taka can really be and make you want our heroes to take them out.

In speaking of Hanami, I should address the two shadow clones made of her during the flashback. The one that the Anbu made was meant to clean up a potential continuity error I discovered about why Shino, Hanami's teacher at the Academy, hasn't noticed that one of his student's, the daughter of one of his best friends, has gone missing, and therefore why he never mentioned it in the previous chapters. I'm really not sure if I did a good enough job of selling it without making Shino look stupid, but I tried.

The second shadow clone is the one that Taka _thinks_ they have in their custody to use as leverage in their plans. It was made with what precious little chakra she had left before the serum nullified it completely. The biggest thing I am struggling with here is how long that shadow clone can last...but then again, considering who her father is, maybe it's not so far fetched after all.

Hanami getting the red serum inside her was done both for drama and to rectify possible continuity errors. I needed an explanation for why the kids would find her in such a damaged state and so weak instead of trying to use her chakra to heal herself as I have to assume her mom gave her _some_ amount of training in medical ninjutsu.

The other issue it rectifies is something that maxslayer10 brought up in his review of Chapter 10. I forgot that, with Sage Mode, Naruto should have been able to sense where Hanami was; but, if she has the serum in her blood, that means that her chakra is nullified and might serve to explain why Naruto couldn't sense her.

The line that Naruto says before he and Sakura leave the Valley of the End, "Let's get the hell out of here," was intended as an homage to the classic "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode, "The City on the Edge of Forever." The context of the line is obviously very different than what Kirk went through in that episode, but the tone and level of weight that being in that place puts on Naruto while he's there creates similar feelings of sadness and regret over all that he had lost both times he and Sasuke fought there. Just imagine Naruto saying the line the same way that William Shatner says it in the episode.

We at last get to see the original Taka again and, since Kishimoto has yet to reveal new designs for them either for "The Last" or for Chapter 700, I had to come up with new designs myself...which ended up looking nearly identical to their Part II counterparts...Yeah, didn't have much imagination on that one.

I also finally, officially, introduced Sarada into this chapter. Since she is meant to be a twelve-year old Genin and the daughter of Sasuke and Karin, as opposed to still being an Academy student and Sasuke and Sakura's daughter (groan) as she is in the official ending, I decided that I wanted to come up with a new look for her that was less, err, bookwormish than how she dressed as a little girl. Her design is partially inspired by a fanart I found on 1824607 by Emily x Madeleine.

Well, I think that's all I've got for now. I hope I still have you all hooked and anxious to come back to see what happens next time.

Until next time...HAIL TAKA!


	15. Chapter 15--Revelations & Complications

What's up everybody, thesaiyanjedi is back with the last chapter of "Shinachiku's First Adventure"!

In all seriousness, sorry this one took so long, but I had the idea for my Valentine's Day one-shot, "Our First Valentine's Day", and I wanted to make sure I got it out there in time for the holiday.

Before I get into the chapter, I would like to address the review of Chapter 14 by SilentRaider52. You were concerned that the story needed some good things in it after so much tension, and that he was worried about Sasuke turning out to be the villain. I think with this chapter I did an okay job of addressing both of those concerns while still keeping things moving. I hope you all like it.

Well then, lets get to reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Revelations and Complications<strong>

Sasuke Uchiha stood before his daughter and his godson, sword drawn. Sarada looked worried and confused; why was her own father pulling his sword out at her and Shinachiku?

Shinachiku was prepared for the worst. This was the moment when his godfather was finally going to give him answers, and already the Uchiha was showing his true colors.

The blonde Genin anticipated a sword strike that would surely end his life…

…But that sword strike never came. Instead, Sasuke stabbed his weapon into the ground at the boy's feet.

To say the least, the boy was confused. "What are you doing?"

"Dad?" Sarada asked in confusion.

"Shinachiku," Sasuke began, "I know that I have not been entirely honest with you or your parents during this adventure. I regret that, but I had my reasons. You followed your shinobi instincts and were wise not to trust me." He sighed before continuing on, "I was hoping I could spare you from this, but it looks like things are going to have to change now."

"What are you talking about?" Shinachiku asked. "What is going on? What was that thing you did with your sword just now?"

"That," Sasuke gestured towards his weapon, "is a proof of trust. You know how powerful I really am kid, I could have gutted a Genin like you any time I wanted, but I didn't. If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. But instead, I'm leaving fate in _your_ hands."

"Say what?!"

"If you want to be open-minded and hear me out, to trust me a little longer, then you're welcome to. If not…you've got a perfectly good weapon to strike me down with. Don't worry; I won't think less of you either way."

Shinachiku, Sarada, even Karin was stunned at this sudden turn of events. Sasuke was literally _inviting_ Shinachiku to murder him if he felt he couldn't be trusted!

"Sasuke?!" Karin shouted, but Sasuke merely raised his hand up to stop her.

Suigetsu and Jūgo didn't say anything, just looked on in interest at whatever was about to take place, though Suigetsu seemed to be watching in a bit more amusement.

As for Randamu…he was sitting their enjoying all the tension as he pulled up the bottom half of his mask so he could snack on a bag of popcorn that he got from seemingly nowhere. "This suspense is terrible. I hope it'll last."

After a few silent seconds of not doing anything, Shinachiku at last began to speak. "You show up at my house out of nowhere to lure me on this crazy mission without my friends, my family, or even Konohamaru-sensei. You plot with this red masked whacko behind-my-back while he tried to kill me. You apparently lied to me and my parents about you and Aunt Karin breaking up. And now you're telling me that you're okay with me _killing_ you?!"

Sasuke smirked, "…Yeah."

Shinachiku stood up and grasped the blade, "There are so many reasons why I should…"

He stood still for what felt like an eternity…And then he let go of the blade. "But I'd rather not do that in front of your daughter. And I'd especially not want to leave Sarada without a dad."

Sarada was left speechless. He was right; he was in a situation where he had every reason in the world not to trust them. Common shinobi sense mandated that he not pass up this golden opportunity to secure his own life's safety. And yet he was…for _her_…

"Besides…" Shinachiku continued, "…my dad didn't work to end this world's cycle of hatred just to see his own son kill his best friend."

Sasuke, in a rather uncharacteristic moment, put on a sincere smile as he decided to move forward. "Very good, let's move on then."

Shinachiku sat back down next to Sarada, paying such close attention that he failed to notice the raven-haired girl's worried stare at him, as if she were silently hoping he would understand.

"Do you remember the unknown enemy that I told you was after the Chakra Gems?" Sasuke asked. The boy nodded his head. "Well, the truth is that I know exactly who the enemy is…Taka."

Shinachiku's eyes widened in alarm. "_Wh-What?!_ Then _you guys_ have been trying to steal the gems this whole time?!"

"See, _this_ is why I wanted to keep this a secret from you," Sasuke explained. "Yes, Taka is collecting the Chakra Gems, but _not_ the same Taka that I founded when I was a teenager."

"I don't understand."

"That's what I'm trying to explain if you'd be patient and let me speak." The boy frowned at that remark, while Sarada looked at him with sympathy. "The original Taka that I founded after I betrayed Orochimaru was a four man squad, which I first I named Hebi, made up of myself, your Aunt Karin, and our friends Suigetsu and Jūgo." He gestured to the two former missing nin, who each nodded and waved to the boy.

The one-armed Uchiha continued, "When I first brought this team together I did so to finally fulfill my dream of getting my revenge on Itachi…and I did. But after it was over I was taken in by another, Obito Uchiha, who I _believed_ to really be Madara at the time. Back then he was working under the alias Tobi and was a member of the criminal organization known as the Akatsuki. He revealed to me the truth about what happened that night, about what was really behind Itachi's massacring of my clan. After that I was so consumed with revenge that I then swore to wipe out the Konoha leaders, and the village itself, for what it had done to my clan. We joined with Akatsuki out of convenience, they would help me to destroy Konoha, as Pain was readying to do anyway, and my team would help them in their hunt for the tailed beasts. That arrangement led us to attacking Killer B and earning the ire of the Fourth Raikage. For our actions, we were branded international criminals across all the shinobi nations. As so we remained until the war came. After I had resurrected Orochimaru to help me in my goals, he in turn used the Reanimation Jutsu to bring back the first four Hokage's, including your grandfather. They convinced me that the village was worth saving; so much so that I wanted to challenge your father to become the next Hokage. My team did their part in fighting off the enemy, and your parent's and I pretty much saved the entire world all by ourselves."

Sasuke sighed before he continued again, "But…after that battle with Kaguya was over, my mind was clouded with delusion once again, this time for revolution. I wanted to seal the tailed beasts away and wipe out _all_ the Kages, to create a world without governments, to start anew. I wanted to embrace my own loneliness and take on all of its hatred by myself…and I knew that your father was the only one who could stand in my way of that. Well…I'm sure you already know how our fight went after that."

The boy remained focused, taking in all that he was being told. Admittedly, much of this he had already read in his father's book, but he paid close attention nevertheless.

"After the war," Sasuke began again, "I had Taka disbanded as I finally agreed to return to the village to face judgment. I fully expected to either be given he death penalty or to spend the rest of my life in prison. But instead your father saved my life, literally, that day, and I knew that I needed to do something to make it up to him. I knew that I had much I needed to learn and perhaps more that I needed to do to make amends for a lifetime of mistakes. So after I left on my quest of redemption, I tracked down my old team and we set out to do some good in this world together. What I didn't see coming was that getting the band back together would also lead to me falling in love."

Karin smiled warmly as she took her husband's hand. She then took her turn talking to her godson. "It wasn't easy to be sure. We had a lot of things to work out first, namely one time he stabbed his Chidori straight through me just to kill Danzō." Poor Sasuke could only hang his head in shame at that moment. "But we we're able to work it out and here we are years later with a beautiful daughter at our side."

Sarada blushed in flattery at her mother's compliment, something Shinachiku noticed and smiled at himself.

"So there we were," Sasuke continued, "the original Taka was back together again to make amends for past sins, plus a fifth member in our ranks this time."

Sasuke turned to face Randamu who merely gave a wave and a "Yo!" as he kept eating his popcorn.

"And where did you find him?" Shinachiku asked with a noticeable tinge of rudeness.

"Trust me on this kid, you don't wanna know!" Suigetsu answered for them. "Sasuke, Karin, don't tell him! You shouldn't have told me, or Jūgo! So now I'm telling _you_," Suigetsu pointed to the boy, "you don't wanna know!"

Shinachiku looked to Sarada in confusion. "He's not joking; you _don't_ want to know where we found him."

"Umm…okay…So you guys _aren't_ some evil organization trying to take over the world or something?"

"No kid," Sasuke said. "The original Taka was back together, but at the same time another one had emerged, a huge underground organization stealing the Taka name, no doubt both to pervert the ideas of revolution I once believed in into plot for world domination and also to frame us, frame _me_, for their plans."

Shinachiku was stunned, "You're kidding me…"

"No I'm not. This new Taka is obviously much larger than my four-err, _five_-man squad, and have been working in the shadows across our whole world since the end of the war."

"In the shadows…?"

"Within the Five Great Shinobi Nations themselves. They want to create a world without a kage system, yes, but instead under its own unified control. They have already developed weapons to make that dream a reality, and now they have learned about the ultimate weapons…"

Shinachiku understood, "The Chakra Gems."

"Bingo," Sasuke confirmed.

Now Shinachiku understood something else as well, "That's why you lied to my parents about you and Aunt Karin breaking up. You didn't want to create suspicion or let anyone know they were helping you or to risk anyone coming after them in case this new Taka was found out," he turned to Sarada, "You wanted to protect your daughter."

"Exactly," Sasuke smirked. "You must've inherited your mother's brain kid; your father would be stretching every brain cell he has just to put that together."

"Hey! My dad is the greatest ninja in the world! He could kick you butt any day of the week!" He then realized his outburst and turned to, of all people, the girl that was right next to him, "No offense Sarada."

The Genin merely shrugged her shoulders and adjusted her glasses, "None taken." She didn't notice the vein of frustration that appeared on her father's head or the innocent chuckle from her mother.

"Okay, I _think_ I've got all of this," the boy contemplated, "Basically you got the old Taka back together to do some good in the world, but then you found out about a new Taka trying to take it over and that they want to use these Chakra Gems to do it. So you lied to everyone to keep Taka's identity a secret so no one would suspect you or your family of anything. Is that right?"

"You've got it," Jūgo spoke for the first time.

"Confusing, ain't it?" Randamu spoke up, before turning to the side as if he were looking straight into an invisible camera, "And who knows whether or not it's going to get any _more_ confusing?! DUM! DUM! DUM!"

"I have five questions though," Shinachiku interrupted. "First, how long have you known about this new Taka group? Second, who's in charge of it? Three, why did you have Randamu try to kill me if he's working with you? Four, what was this attack on the village that you were speaking to him about over the microphone? And five, why do you need me here when both your wife and daughter have Uzumaki blood too?"

"To answer your questions kid," Sasuke began, "one, I've known something was up since I heard the assassin at your parent's first wedding say 'Hail Taka' after the three of us knocked him out. Two, I'm not sure how far Taka really goes, but I do suspect a certain someone at the top in pulling the strings within Konoha."

For some reason Shinachiku was able to guess, "Uragi?"

The Uchiha nodded his head. "Three, Randamu's fighting with you was merely a test to see if you were even _remotely_ ready for what may come…you are. Four, the attack I was speaking of is Taka and Uragi's final move to seize power of the Hidden Leaf Village, and I fear that it may also apply to the other hidden villages as well. And five, the sources I've been told about told me that I actually needed _two_ people with Uzumaki blood to unlock the seal, and Sarada _insisted_ on us bringing you with us."

The blonde-haired boy turned to the girl, who blushed in embarrassment. "Sarada?"

"I…I just got worried about you that's all," she tried to justify. "What if you were in the village while Taka did something dangerous?"

Shinachiku decided to go ahead and accept that rather weak explanation.

"Sasuke always wants to find ways to make amends with your father," Karin added. "Our instincts told us that something big was coming and we all wanted you out of there in case it did. If we could have taken your daughter too we would have, but she was just too young to be given a mission away from the village yet."

"Besides," Sasuke went on, "I meant what I said back at your house that this mission would be a good opportunity for you to get some real experience in the field…_Both_ of you."

"_HUH?!"_ Shinachiku's head snapped towards the raven-haired, bifocaled girl.

"Yes Shinachiku…you and Sarada are going to recover the Chakra Gem _together_."

The two kids glanced at each and quickly turned away, both of them blushing deep red.

It was Randamu who broke the ice, "Ohhhh…awkward!"

* * *

><p>Back in the panic room of the Uzumaki Mansion, the children were caught between a rock and a hard place. If they headed back the way they came, there could be a platoon of Anbu guards waiting for them. The only other ways out were by using Hanami's fathers Flying Thunder God Technique, which none of them knew, or to blow up the wall, which would surely attract attention from outside, and that's assuming that there was no one searching the <em>inside<em> of the house for possible evidence to use against Hanami's parents.

"Well…we're all fucked!" Ōkami shouted.

"Our options do seem limited," Inojin concurred.

"There's got to be something we can do?" Chōchō argued.

"Yeah," Shikadai assessed, "but it looks like we may have to fight our way out of this mess one way or another…Ōkami, Tsumi, can either of you look through the wall to see if anyone else is down here in the basement level, or anywhere else in the house?"

"I'll try it." Tsumi let go of he comforting hug she was still giving Hanami as she gathered her chakra into her eyes to activate her kekki genki. "BYAKUGAN!"

The Izuzuka-Hyūga girl scanned the rest of the basement level for any signs of more intruders. "I'm seeing two Anbu down here."

"Let me guess," Bagu interrupted, "they're trying to crack the combination to get into the vault?"

"No."

"Perhaps they are meddling around in the furnace and the electrical room?" Burandon guessed.

"No."

"Well, then they have to be in the storage room searching through boxes of the family's stuff," Shikadai had to assume.

"No not that either."

"Then what are they doing?" Chōchō asked.

"They're…" Tsumi couldn't believe it, "they're raiding the wine cellar."

All of the kids, Hanami included, had a dumbfounded expression and a sweatdrop on their faces.

"To be fair," Inojin interrupted, "my mom has said before that Lord Seventh and his wife's wine collection is the envy of the entire village."

"Dude, _everything_ about this house is the envy of the entire village!" Ōkami retorted. "Why else do you think that Hanami's dad chose to continue living here instead of moving into the Hokage Residence after his coronation?"

"Would all of you focus?!" Shikadai demanded to get their attention. "Look, as much of a drag as this is, these two slackers outside are still blocking one of our ways out of here. Right now we're lucky these walls are soundproof and that you'd need the Byakugan to see through them, but that means that we now have only one other option to get out of here."

They are turned toward the squared-off exit that they had entered from.

"I guess we have no choice," Bagu admitted.

"WAIT!" Tsumi yelled, "Somebody else is coming down the tunnel…_three_ people! I can't make out who they are though."

The kids all panicked. This was a disaster, it had to be Anbu heading their way and such a threat may be too far out of their range for a ragtag group of Genin like themselves.

"It would seem that we are at a disadvantage," Inojin pointed out.

"NO!"

It was Hanami, poor, innocent, hurt Hanami that made that declaration as she struggled to stand up again.

"Hanami, stay down, you're badly hurt! And your chakra's not working!" Chōchō begged.

"No! My brother wouldn't get scared, and mommy and daddy wouldn't either! Whatever happens we can take 'em!"

The kids were all impressed by the little girl's sense of determination, 'Just like Shinachiku,' some of them thought.

"Alright, everybody stand together around Hanami!" Shikadai ordered. "Keeping her safe in top priority!"

The kids all did as the Nara boy said, Burandon getting out some of the kunai hidden in his pouch, the twins both getting their Byakugan's activated and into a Gentle Fist pose, Chōchō covering Hanami's front, and Shikadai and Bagu getting into the familiar jutsu poses of their clans.

They could feel the chakra getting closer and closer. Any minute now they would be face-to-face with whoever was down there with them. Some of the boys had lines of sweat dripping down their faces, but they paid no mind to it.

'This is it!" Shikadai thought. 'Whoever is here is going to come up through that hole right now!'

As if on cue, a pair of hands pulled themselves up and into the room…It was an older shinobi, retired, with spiky silver hair and a mask covering the bottom half of his face. A scar ran across his left eye, indicating that something must have happened to it long ago, and yet both of his dark eyes appeared perfectly fine. The man closed his eyes and smiled beneath his mask as he gave the kids a friendly wave.

"Oh hi there. I hope we didn't frighten you kids."

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" they all shouted in relief.

The Copy Ninja pulled himself up into the room, making way for two more guests who came up one after the other. One was a man of similar age to Kakashi, but with a grimmer face and a sort of metal helmet framing his head. The other was a much younger adult with brown hair, a handsome face and a large blue scarf wrapped around his neck.

"CAPTAIN YAMATO! KONOHAMARU-SENSEI!"

"Hey kids," Yamato addressed them. "This is an unexpected surprise."

"Yeah, well, we came down looking for-"

"HANAMI!" Konohamaru bolted to the girl as soon as he saw her. He wrapped the girl in an almost fatherly embrace. "Are you alright dear?"

Kakashi and Yamato both looked horrified when they noticed the poor girl's condition.

"What happened here?!" Kakashi demanded.

"We figured out that Hanami's been missing since her parent's disappeared," Shikadai explained. "So we decided to try and find her. Bagu remembered Shinachiku telling him about this hidden room inside her house, so we thought it was worth checking out a lead. We found her like this; some of the Anbu beat the crap out of her and she instinctively came here to escape. They used some sort of serum on her so she can't use her chakra."

"She can't do _what?!_" Yamato asked shocked.

"That's correct," Inojin confirmed. "She says the Anbu injected her with some kind of red serum that nullified her access to her chakra reserves."

"What are your three doing here?" Ōkami asked.

"Shizune overheard our Interim-Hokage plotting something inside his office, mentioning something about Hanami being kept somewhere safe." Kakashi explained. "As the one who originally informed Naruto that he was inheriting his parent's estate, I was one of the few who knew about this hidden room. I guess we came to the same conclusion that you kids did."

"Kakashi-sensei," Bagu asked, "did any of the guards outside happen to see the three of you when you snuck in here?"

"No," Yamato answered, "we took special precautions to make sure that we weren't noticed or followed."

"And right now we need to get out of here," Konohamaru said. "Hanami needs a medic as soon as she can."

"Konohamaru-sensei," Tsumi spoke up, "I saw with my Byakugan two Anbu behind that wall raiding the wine cellar."

"Well," the Copy Ninja replied, "then we're just going to have to get out the way we came."

"That could result in the Anbu taking notice and capturing us as soon as we open the door," Yamato countered.

"True…but then again we're the famous Copy Ninja and son of the White Fang, an elite experiment by Orochimaru, and the heir to the Sarutobi clan. I'm sure we can make it through this."

"Well, you sure sound confident Kakashi," Konohamaru noted.

"More optimistic than confident, but I suppose some of Naruto's never-give-up attitude must have worn off on me." Kakashi turned to the children, "Alright kids, I need all of you to stay behind us as we scope out the outside. Hanami's safety is top priority, and if she really has her chakra blocked off, then it's going to be up to you kids to get her to Lady Tsunade and Shizune for healing. Is that understood?"

"HAI!" all the Genin said in unison.

"Alright, let's get out of here."

The Jōnin went down into the tunnel first, followed by the Genin. Hanami, limping in pain, was surrounded by the other kids shielding her.

"Do not worry Hanami," Burandon said, "we will succeed in getting you out of this place and to a place of healing."

"What he said," Ōkami replied. "Besides, your brother would be pissed off at all of us if we let anything else happen to you."

"Stay focused kids; we're heading down the tunnel!" Yamato said.

The group walked down the tunnel, the darkness lit by Burandon's miniature torch that he let Kakashi borrow. When they made it to the end of the tunnel, they prepared themselves for whatever might happen.

"Ōkami, Tsumi, tells us if you can see anyone up there," Kakashi ordered.

The twins nodded their heads and did as they were told. "BYAKUGAN!"

The twins scanned the ground above them and Tsumi was the one that spoke. "No Kakashi-sensei, there doesn't appear to be anyone standing over us."

"Fine, lets do this carefully then."

Kakashi carefully lifted the wood paneling up and set it aside, allowing the light from outside to shine down into the tunnel. Kakashi pulled himself up and looked around for any Anbu guards. There was some patrolling the outside of the house and he calculated that there was no chance there would be enough time to get all of the company out without them ultimately being seen. A distraction was going to be needed first.

"Okay, everyone wait here! And whatever you hear, don't panic!"

Kakashi quickly pulled himself up out of the tunnel and replaced the wooden panel on the entrance, then he leaped with his ninja speed to a nearby grass area far enough from the other location. He quickly set up a small paper bomb and leaped out of the bomb's blast radius and the enemy's line-of-sight.

With a minute the paper bomb went off and created a small explosion. The blast had its intended effect and all of the Anbu patrolling the house immediately went to go check out the source of the explosion. Kakashi took the distraction as an opportunity to return to the tunnel entrance and open it back up.

"Kakashi-sensei, what the hell was that!" Konohamaru asked.

"Paper bomb, for distraction. Now come on, we've got to move now!"

One-by-one, but with great sense of urgency, the company all got out of the tunnel without being seen by the Anbu. Hanami needed extra help get out do to the pain she was in. Kakashi sealed the entrance back up to avoid suspicion and they all got out of there as fast as possible with their chakra-enhanced speed.

"You know," Shikadai said, "you could have just used your Chidori to wipe out those guards or used some other amazing jutsu of yours Kakashi-sensei."

"Perhaps, yes…but there are alternatives to fighting. Now come on, we'll take you to where Lady Tsunade and Shizune are to get Hanami healed."

* * *

><p>Sakura was hard at work in the dark, gloomy lab that once belonged to Orochimaru. She was performing experiments on the samples of the two serums she carried. She didn't know why Kabuto was so willing to let them use the lab, but she needed to find a solution to this problem, an antidote to each of these serums so they could be ready in case either of them got injected, like Hanami might have been.<p>

Oh God, those Taka bastards injecting her daughter with this crap, the thought of it made her sick to her stomach! If any of them laid a finger on her little girl they'd regret it! And if she wasn't the one whose wrath they suffered, than it was going to be Naruto's, which was far worse!

In speaking of whom, her husband was sitting in the far corner of the room fuming in his own anger as he pondered everything that he now had on his plate. An evil revolutionary group had infiltrated his village right under his nose (hell, as far back as Kakashi-sensei's reign), have done the same thing to the other four great shinobi nations, he and his wife were set up as wanted criminals, their friends were out hunting for them, their daughter was missing, and his best friend, who may or may not be the mastermind of this whole conspiracy, was currently in possession of his son and using him to recover an ultimate weapon…Suffice to say, Naruto was _not_ in a good mood!

"Ah! This is a waste of time! We should be going to find Shinachiku!"

"Naruto," Sakura said, "we need to be patient. I'm scared too, but if we can find an antidote to this serum then it will be that much better for the both of us…And besides, aren't you the one who said that we'd be leading more trouble his way if we went to go find him?"

"That was before I knew _Taka_ was trying to take over the world!"

"Naruto, Sasuke's _not_ a part of this. I would have expected you of all people to have more faith in him than that!"

Naruto put his head in his hand and sighed aloud. "I know, I'm just-I feel so helpless, lost, confused. All these questions that need answering and no telling how many people we know are a part of Taka. For the first time in years I don't know what I should do or who I can trust."

Sakura left her work station and went over to her husband crouched down to take his bandaged hand in hers. "You can trust me."

That was actually enough to raise the blonde-haired man's spirits a little bit. "Thank you Sakura. I love you."

"I love you too." She gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"How romantic."

The couple turned to see the source of the voice, making Naruto scowl. "What do you want?"

"I just figured I'd check in," Kabuto said, "maybe offer some help if you needed it. I have to admit that it's nice to have some company for a change; it can get so lonely when you're in a place all by yourself…But you know all about being alone don't you Naruto?"

Naruto stood up, "Get out of here! We don't need your help!"

"Wait!" Sakura said putting a hand on her husband's chest to hold him back. "Actually, you're medical 'expertise' might be of help right now."

Naruto was stunned, "Sakura?!"

"Naruto, I've been at this for hours now and I'm barely making any progress. We're going to need all the help we can get." She turned to face Kabuto one more time. "But make no mistake; if you do anything to undermine us, or make any move against us, then we _will_ kill you, and you know full well that we can. Do I make myself clear?"

Kabuto merely smirked, "Completely. Now then, shall we get to work?"

* * *

><p>After coming to an understanding, Shinachiku and Taka, the <em>original<em> Taka, finished eating their breakfast, packed up their things, and stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean and the island where the ruins of the Uzushiogakure lay.

With merely a nod to one another, the group all leap off the high cliff and, focusing their chakra into the bottom of their feet, they landed on the surface of the water and ran across it towards the island. Sasuke led the way with Karin close behind him. Shinachiku and Sarada, since they were now going to be partners in the locating of the gem itself, ran side-by-side. Suigetsu and Jūgo were behind them, and Randamu was covering the rear.

Within minutes the group had made it to the shore of the island.

"This place feels…haunted," Shinachiku noted.

"I know," Karin agreed, "it's like the souls of all those that lived here still haunt this sight, unable to find rest. I know that's not really true, but all these ruined buildings and homes…it makes you feel uneasy."

"Aunt Karin, were you there when…?"

"No, I was born afterwards and grew up elsewhere along with the other few survivors of our clan. This place was destroyed in war while your grandmother was still just a girl."

"You mean when she moved to Konoha to become Kurama's jinchūriki?"

"Yes, it was either shortly before or shortly after that, I'm really not sure which."

"Hey you two," Sasuke called out, "let's stick to the plan."

With that, the group walked away from the shore and headed further inwards towards the center of the island. As they walked, Shinachiku found himself getting curious about the rest of Sasuke's teammates.

"Hey Suigetsu?"

"Yeah, what is it kid?" the purple-clad, shark-toothed swordsman asked rudely.

"I was just wondering why, after the war ended, you never tried going back to Kirigakure? As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist, wouldn't the Mizukage be willing to invite you back into their ranks?"

"Well I'm not sure what Chōjūrō would have to say about that, I've only met him in passing during to war when he was still just a kid. But as for why I didn't go back…I don't know. Joining the Seven Swordsman was always mine and my brother's dream, but after he died I made it my goal to collect all seven of their swords to rebuild them from the ground up as their new leader. I guess I still want that…but for some reason when your bastard godfather asked me to come with him on his stupid redemption quest, I couldn't say no…Although I probably should have; at least that way I would have to deal with his wife's outbursts anymore-"

The so-called 'Second Coming of the Demon' was knocked on the head by Karin. "Hey watch it!"

Shinachiku turned to Jūgo next. "What about you Jūgo? Why are you here?"

"Well," the orange-haired man started, "when I was young I was prone to rage, in fact I even destroyed an entire village once because I lost control. I ran away into caves to seclude myself until I met my friend Kimimaro. When he died I didn't know what else I had. Years later Sasuke, the very person my friend died trying to recover for Orochimaru, tried to recruit me to track down Itachi and I refused. But there was something about Sasuke's killer intent that frightened me, so I ended up joining Hebi as he called it then."

"So why are you here now?" the boy asked again.

"Because I've grown loyal to Sasuke. He reminds me of Kimimaro, and he is able to help me stay balanced and maintain control of myself. But kid, I need you to promise me something."

"What's that?"

"Don't make me angry…You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Shinachiku was suddenly feeling creped out, "Um…okay, sure."

"Hey kid," Randamu interrupted, "you wanna hear _my_ story too?"

"Not really, no."

"Whatever, I didn't feel like telling it anyway."

The group made it to a cliff overlooking the sea. There was a tall statue of what seemed to be a woman from the Uzumaki clan with long flowing hair and her hands clasped together over her heart.

"Okay," Sasuke began, "according to my sources, this statue is some sort of beacon that will reveal the location of the Chakra Gem to someone with Uzumaki blood inside them."

"How?" Shinachiku asked.

"Do you see that hole cut into the base of the statue?" The Uchiha pointed to said whole, large enough to fit a person's hand through. "A person need only put their hand in there in order to offer up a sampling of blood to prove their ancestry."

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute!" the boy panicked. "What's going to happen to my hand when I put it in there?! Is it going to get chopped off of something?!"

"No," Karin answered, "it's just going to prick your finger and take a drop or two of blood."

The boy looked back at the statue in worry. "I don't know Aunt Karin; what if you're sources are wrong? What if something really bad happens?"

"Fine," Sasuke said in irritation. "Sarada put your hand in the hole please."

"Hai." The girl walked over to the statue and was about to put her hand inside, when she felt a hand grasp her arm.

"Wait!" Shinachiku had stopped her and his voice called everybody's attention. "I'll do it!"

The boy stuck his hand in the whole, biting his lip for whatever pain he was about to feel…

…He felt a quick prick of his index finger just like Karin said.

"Ow!" The boy quickly yanked his hand out of the whole and put his finger in his mouth to seal up the wound. He turned to Sasuke, "So what now?"

"Just wait."

Within seconds, the statue stated to glow with a faint red light. The statue's arms moved away from its heart and stretched outwards toward the company. As its hands move they revealed that they had been covering some sort of crystal from which the red light came from.

The group were entranced by what they were seeing, especially the boy. They all watched as the red light shined out from the crystal and over the landscape of the island.

"Now this light will point us to where the Chakra Gem is buried," Sasuke explained.

The light moved across the island, passing over ruined buildings and homes, rivers and woodlands, until finally…the light passed over the water and stopped right in the middle of the ocean.

The entire company all had the same simultaneous reaction: **"D'OH!"**

* * *

><p>Kabuto and Sakura were still hard at work on trying to find an antidote, when they all suddenly heard what sounded like a frog croaking.<p>

"What the heck?" Sakura asked.

"It sounds like the Toad Sage is receiving a visit from one of his friends," Kabuto remarked.

"Don't look at me, I didn't summon any toads today," Naruto replied.

The croaking got louder as a small, red toad came hopping down the stairs until it landed right at Naruto's feet. The toad must have been moving for a while because it looked very out of breath.

"Yo! Are you Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Umm…yes."

The toad pointed it's 'hand' over to the pink-haired woman, "And is that your wife?"

"Yes…" Sakura confirmed in confusion.

"Oh thank God! I've searching all day for you two. I had to hop here all the way from the edge of the Fire County overlooking the sea!"

"Well…it's nice to meet you, I guess," Naruto replied, still confused. "But why were you looking for me and Sakura?"

The toad cleared its throat, "I was summoned by your son."

Both parents instantly bolted to attention. "You saw Shinachiku?!"

"Yep. He was at the cliff overlooking the eastern sea last night."

Sakura, who had moved next to her husband, turned to him. "Then he must be at the island where your mother's village was already."

"Yeah, well…" the toad interrupted uncomfortably, "…the kid summoned me to deliver a message, but before he told me anything I had to let him know that both of you were on the run."

Naruto and Sakura couldn't help the frowns that appeared on their faces.

"Did-Did he say anything?" Sakura asked in worry.

"He seemed pretty upset, and he was really worried about his sister."

Sakura covered her mouth with her hand as tears started falling. Naruto hung his head.

"What was my son's message?" Naruto asked.

"Well, he summoned me for that reason, but before he could tell me anything, Sasuke Uchiha showed up and the boy accused him of being in on everything. The one-armed jerk then promised he'd give the kid answers before he knocked him out cold. He then told me to come find you to let you know that he has your son and he's safe, but that you two need to have a talk."

Naruto clenched both of his fists is rage. "That's alright; I have some things I need to speak to him about anyway."

"We _both_ do!" Sakura said in anger. "Where is he?"

"Not sure, but I have to assume he's in the same place I last saw him. If not then he may have gone to the island you were talking about."

"Okay, fine." Naruto declared. "Sakura, you stay here and finish the antidotes with Kabuto, I'll go track down Sasuke and Shinachiku."

"Not a chance!" Sakura defied, "You're my husband and Shina's _my_ son too. I'm sticking with you!"

"But Sakura, what about…?"

"Oh don't worry about it. I can keep working on this for you two. I don't mind really; gives me something to do."

They both turned to Kabuto, who didn't seem to be in any low spirits about this new situation, nor could Naruto pick up any deceptive thoughts from him.

The former Seventh Hokage walked up to the Snake Sannin's former apprentice and merely nodded and said, "Thank you."

"Your welcome…So, don't you have a son to go find?"

"Oh, right! Come on Sakura, let's go!"

"Hai!" his wife agreed.

"I guess I'll lead you two to their location then," the toad offered.

"Thanks," Naruto said, "but you've been moving for a long time already and are clearly out of breath. We can find our way there ourselves. Thank you for all your help."

"Your welcome…it's been an honor to serve you and your son sir. I hope you can kick that Uchiha bastard's ass!" With that, the toad dispelled itself and the two lovers were running hastily back up the stairs to exit the compound, all the while Kabuto got back to work on the antidotes to the mysterious serums…

They finally made it outside and were just about to start running east towards the sea…when all of a sudden a kunai was thrown at Naruto's feet.

The kunai was not meant to do any damage to the blonde but rather to get his attention, which it succeeded in as both he and Sakura looked up into the woods before them.

In the tree tops was a squad of ten elite Jōnin: Sai, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka and his nin-dog Akamaru, Shino Aburame, Rock Lee, Tenten, and their assigned leader, Captain Odaku.

"Lord Seventh Hokage," the rugged faced Anbu leader said, "By the power vested in both me and my team by Councilman Uragi of the Hidden Leaf Village, you and your wife are under arrest."

* * *

><p>There you have it! A lot of the lingering moments of tension are alleviated from last time, and yet the plot still thickens!<p>

There were a fair share of references this time, as usual, and with Randamu back so we can probably expect more in the future!

In speaking of Randamu, the line he says at the beginning about the tension in the room while he's snacking on popcorn was inspired by a scene from one of my favorite movies "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," where Augustus Gloop gets himself stuck in a pipe and Wonka is seen snacking on some candy as he says the same line, "This suspense is terrible. I hope it'll last."

While we're still on the subject of Randamu, the gag about Suigetsu insisting that Shinachiku didn't want to know where they found Randamu was directly lifted from the Disney movie "Atlantis: The Lost Empire." There is a scene where the group is talking about each other's pasts and Milo asks what the Mole's story is, to which Dr. Sweet quickly gives Milo the very same warning.

Oh, one more thing, Randamu's breaking the fourth wall to warn us that things might get more confusing from here onward was inspired by the "Futurama" special "Bender's Big Score." (for the record, easily the best of the four, at least in my opinion). Bender traveled back in time to New Year's Eve 1999 and finds the frozen Fry that will wake up in the future, remembering that the Fry he is looking for is the one that comes back _from_ the future! This prompts Bender to comment on how confusing the plot of the episode already is and break to Fourth Wall to warn the audience of what's to come!

The line that Kakashi says to Shikadai about how "There are alternatives to fighting" was a reference to "Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope," when the Millennium Falcon is caught in the Death Star's tractor beam and Obi-Wan Kenobi gives the exact same advice to Han Solo. I have to say that I seriously cannot believe that it took me THIS LONG to find a place to throw in a Star Wars reference! As probably my favorite movie series of all time, you'd think I would have done it sooner, but I guess until now I could never come up with anything that fit right.

Jūgo's warning to Shinachiku, "Don't make me angry...You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." was an obvious homage to the classic "The Incredible Hulk" TV series starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. As I was going over Jūgo's motivation, a character I am admittedly not as familiar with as others, I realized that this would be a PERFECT reference for him to make.

The scene of the statue casting a light to show the way to the Chakra Gem, only for it to point them out to sea, was directly lifted from a similar scene in a classic episode of "The Simpsons" called "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish.'" In that episode, Grandpa Simpson and Bart go on a treasure hunt in competition with Mr. Burns and the location of the treasure is revealed in a similar way, right down to the two of them shouting "D'oh!" when the searchlight within the tombstone point them towards the water.

But on the subject of that, I have two issues now that I would like to ask your guy's help with. First of all, this being in the Land of Eddies (or Land of Whirlpools depending on your translation), I liked the idea of the Chakra Gem being sealed away somewhere underwater. The only problem is that I cannot recall many times, or any really, during the series where shinobi needed to do any underwater exploration. I'm just not sure whether or not the characters in the Naruto universe have invented deep sea SCUBA gear to breath underwater. But frankly, the level of technological advancement in this universe has always been confusing to me. If anyone has ideas of how I can approach this, I'd appreciate it.

Second, I am trying to come up with some new techniques for the kids. For example, Skikadai is the son of Shikamaru and Temari, a shadow user and a wind mistress. How do you combine those two ideas together? Or Inojin, whose father is Sai, who can bring artist's drawings to life, and his mother is Ino, who can affect people's minds. How do those two things go together? If any of my readers have combination attack ideas you'd like to offer, I'd happily consider them and give you credit in the forthcoming chapters.

Well, until next time, see ya!


End file.
